Her Story
About Debra
Debra Elramey is an author, poet, and memoirist whose work has reached global audiences in publications such as Spillwords, Edge of Humanity, Sojourner's, Writer's Digest, and Natural Life. She began publishing in 1985 and has spoken at the North Carolina Women's Writer Conference alongside Maya Angelou as keynote. After a career as a recovered institutional teacher in public schools and community colleges, she pivoted to an organic approach to life and writing. Elramey is also a piano teacher with a musical career spanning four decades as an instructor, music director, singer, and songwriter. She received a Poet Laureate Finalist Award for her contributions to an anthology. Her writing emphasizes authenticity and individuality, drawing from influences like Thomas Merton and Annie Dillard, and she attributes her success to writing from the true self without conforming to popular trends. She values lived authenticity above conformity and encourages others to find their unique voice through community support such as writer's groups like The Write Practice.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Debra
01What do you attribute your success to?
I write from the true self. I just write what is not to conform to what is popular. I read a lot with Thomas Merton, and I've been told that my writing reminded one publisher of Thomas Merton and Annie Dillard. I never have been a big fan of the spotlight. I always had to get on the stage anyway. I think all the world is a stage.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
One of my teachers, Carolyn Page, encouraged me. She knew the first business and my stuff out in public, and that's how that started. She started her own publishing house and published a lot of the work.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
They just need to do it. Sit down. Find a small writer's group or online community like the Write Practice. Find their tribe and help each other. Encourage each other. Listen. Read your writing. Share your writing. Don't try to go it alone. Don't be the lone ranger. If you do that, you're not as likely to give up.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges for writers like me who don't want to go through all these hoops or gatekeepers is traditional publishing versus hybrid versus self-publishing. You have to put your social media presence, and you have to spend a lot of time and energy, whereas if you just want to write and create, you might want to hire somebody else to do the other legwork.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I value individuality above almost everything. Conformity is a kind of spiritual sleepwalking. Lived authenticity was the highest form of art. I try to help people in my writing to see that they need to live an authentic life. Most of my writing is against grouping and being your authentic and individual self. Just write who you are from the place, from living from the inside out instead of the opposite.
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