On Writing & Being Seen _ With Christina Macpherson

On Writing & Being Seen _ With Christina Macpherson

Christina Macpherson is a writer and fashion industry collaborator who folds a range of creative talents into a stunning portfolio of content. 
As a fashion influencer and a developer of writing practice tools, Christina casts her curiosity out into the world and reels inspiration in with a generous attitude and meticulous style. 
She took the time to talk with us about her favourite writers, public perceptions about her profession and appreciation for considered feedback. 

 

The great French American artist Louise Bourgeois, once described wardrobe choice as an exercise in memory. She said "It makes me explore the past: how did I feel when I wore that. They are like signposts in the search for the past." 

We're fascinated with the way you connect wardrobe to discovery, and the chance to create memories.  Do the clothes you wear speak to other moments in your life? --

 

There's times when that certainly happens. When I wear a colour or a pattern that I wouldn't usually; when I want to feel a certain material against my skin, when there's a place I'm going to where I want to become a part of. These feelings and fashion-choices all merge into memory of that particular moment. Then there are days when all I want to wear is either baggy boy clothes or nothing at all - they can be equally memorable too but for different reasons ha ha.

 

We have a long running obsession here with effortlessness. 

Getting words to flow effortlessly, though, can be tricky - and every professional, at some stage in their career, has to make themselves stand out by writing well.

Can you talk us through secret ways to improve everyday professional written communication, to give it a creative touch? 

I think writers' block or just lack of motivation and inspiration is something we all face. I've learnt it's never a good idea to rely on that magic spark to come and take over you, you've gotta' work for it. It's why I've incorporated creative writing exercises into my daily routine - it's a way to get the creativity flowing and makes it easier to tap into when it's lacking. 
Can you tell us about how you came to find the key influences on your creative writing? What voices resonate with yours? 

Ah, such a mixture of so many. The strange story telling of Huraki Murakami, the cheekiness of Bill Bryson, the sadness of Isabelle Allende. Then there's the classics - the roughness of Jack Kerouac, the cleverness of Kurt Vonnegut and George Orwell, the imagination of Lewis Carroll, and the sheer awesomeness of Homer. But it's not just writers; it's also music, art, nature and the people who have come into my life. It's moments of joy and sheer heartbreak. They all play equal parts in influencing me and my creative voice.

What's your favourite holiday read? 

Oooof, too many. Something that sucks you in for hours whilst you laze. The one that got me good is 'A Little Life' by Hanya Yanagihara. It's a heartbreaking tale of four friends just trying to figure it out.

If you could revisit yourself as a student of theatre and writing, what advice would you give yourself?

Honestly, focus more on the work and less on the drinking/boys ha.

When you're about to start a travel article, what is your favourite way to fight the tyranny of the blank page and how did you come across it? 

 I've made up a few music playlists on Spotify for exactly this - they're mostly instrumentals that take me away. That always gets me in the groove.

Can you tell us a popular misconception about establishing yourself as a content creator? 

There's a bunch, I'm sure we've all heard them before - that it's menial work, not fulfilling, easy. And you know, just like any other job, sometimes it can feel that way. But other times it's all the other things, and I really wouldn't have it any other way. For all the judgement, the good stuff outweighs the bad.

To quote John Berger's 1972 monograph, Ways of Seeing - “A woman must continually watch herself. Women watch themselves being looked at." In a role that combines your written observation with your modelling, do you deal with different expectations as a woman who both watches and is watched? 

I don't actually like this quote by John Bergers and I think it's very telling of the time. However the quote does resonate, and unfortunately I think it will for most women. I'm in a good position as a freelancer in that I don't have to deal too much with people's expectations of me. Some people have questioned if I'm, "really a writer", or if it's just something I add to my job description, which is both funny and highly insulting. I think so much of the time expectation is laced in judgement, and I think we as a strong society of capable women, need to stop both.

What truly makes you feel seen?

When I write something that I know is good that has usually been finished in a rush, with a few mistakes and a certain kind of roughness that people instantly relate to. When the feedback is powerful and deep and drives discussion, that's a pretty great feeling.

You can explore Christina's work here. 

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