Guest Post: Influence Map

Hello! My name is Briana Hanks, and I'm a new editor for The Sucarnochee Review. I'm both nervous and excited to share what influences my writing, but I do hope you learn more about me in the process.

In Creative Writing, my classmates and I made influence maps to show what inspires us as writers. We modeled our maps after a writer and blogger named Alyssa Hollingsworth. Following her formula, an influence map requires an individual to find images that depict the stories one wants to tell through writing. I encourage anyone reading this post to make their own map. Choosing pictures filled me with so much warmth and nostalgia because as much as I write for myself, I write for others, too. When creating your own, you should ask yourself: Who am I writing for? Why is this person/place/thing important to me and my art? How do I want people to feel when they read my writing?

I immediately thought of my family. We haven’t taken a family photo in a while, so I used a picture from my childhood. I adore my family and credit them for instilling my values and shaping who I am. I’ve made friends that I consider family, and they’ve shaped me as much as blood relatives.

I didn’t grow up attending church, but I have always believed in God. I read the entire Bible during my first year of college, and it wasn’t what I expected. It’s filled with many flawed people, and I was quick to judge until I practiced humility and compassion. Around the same time, I became extremely fascinated by religious life and nuns. One of my favorite movies is Sister Act (1992), and I thought Sister Mary Clarence was the only Black nun known to history. To challenge my ignorance, I researched and found a brilliant book titled Subversive Habits: Black Catholic Nuns in the Long African American Freedom Struggle by Shannen Dee Williams. I loved it so much, I wrote a poem called “dream, girl” to celebrate learning the history of Black nuns. (See, inspiration can come from anywhere) I included Sister Thea Bowman on my map because her story loosely inspired Sister Act.

I am inspired by Black art, whether it relates to poetry or music. My favorite poet is Ntozake Shange. She was prevalent during the Black Arts Movement. Her most popular work is for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf. Dance accompanies each poem. I can’t dance, but I can feel her words’ rhythm, and she speaks directly to me. Similarly, one of my favorite music artists is Nina Simone. She has a rich and powerful voice, but also creates delicate melodies on the piano. Simone is unapologetically emotional in her songs, and once I find my poetic speaking voice, I want to do the same. My second favorite genre of music is country. I adore Kelsea Ballerini. I commend her music for its storytelling and vulnerability. (I once saw a comment that said her music belonged on BET, not CMT)

My favorite book is Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre because Brontë creates a compassionate character in Jane. Despite being “poor, obscure, plain, and little,” Jane is independent, assertive, and loving. Her love interest, Mr. Rochester, isn’t the best, but seeing him through Jane’s eyes altered my perception of him. Growing up, I enjoyed watching Disney Channel and Nickelodeon. They contributed to my sense of humor and taste in music. As a kid, I really loved unicorns. As an adult, I still love unicorns.

I enjoy classic, vintage television shows like That Girl. Marlo Thomas portrays an actress, Ann Marie, awaiting her big break. She’s so pretty and expressive. The show is light-hearted and comedic with a touch of romance (my favorite kind of television).

Lastly, inspiration strikes since I live as a young, Black American woman. I use my writing to describe America as I see it and what I wish it looked like. Sometimes I am let down, but I turn to my family/friends, the gospel, music, reading, television, and poetry. Getting discouraged is easy, but no one can take my history away from me. In Lucille Clifton’s why some people be mad at me sometimes, she writes, “...they want me to remember/ their memories/ and i keep on remembering/ mine.” I’m so grateful for Creative Writing (and writing, in general) because I get to preserve history and tell it from my point of view.

Again, I encourage you to make your own. It's so beautiful to see all that inspires someone in one place. This is me in a nutshell. Who are you? :)

Link to Hollingsworth’s Influence Map: https://alyssahollingsworth.com/2014/11/10/influence-maps/