Meet Alana Cloud-Robinson | Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alana Cloud-Robinson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alana, how do you think about risk?
I have had a tendency to pretty firmly stand on one end of the spectrum or the other when it comes to risk. I have spent extensive periods of my life paralyzed with the fear of making the “wrong move”—of taking a misstep and ultimately being plagued with regret.

In the last year, my life was completely upended—partly due to circumstances outside my control. That realization that despite my best efforts to hold tightly to routine—to what is safe and known—everything can at any moment change forever presented me with a choice: I could either wait anxiously for external forces to shift the course of my existence, therefore absolving myself of any real responsibility for my own pain, happiness, failure, and success—or I could have a sense of trust, faith if you will, in the idea that the only wrong choice was actually inaction.

I quit not one but two jobs that gave me security and structure in favor of pursuing my passions. I jumped head-first into the abyss, changed the structure of my entire life, and began living foolishly and even dangerously at times, but what I have gained in the process has been invaluable to my growth. I have had countless moments, as recently as this morning, in which I have doubted my choices and the risks I’ve chosen to take, but in the end, I know without a doubt that inaction was not serving me. However uncomfortable I may feel at times, I have never in my life felt more aligned with my purpose.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Growing and developing my own voice has been my greatest challenge—it’s difficult not to parrot what you admire, especially when you want your creative voice to mirror the confidence and authority of your favorite writers. I had to really pour over my own work on an ongoing basis to dig into the meat of who I am as a writer. I eventually developed a persona—A.C. Robinson—an almost fictional version of myself, unencumbered by inhibiting self-consciousness or judgment. Not quite the beatnik, unconcerned with the problems of conventional society, and not quite the voice of a generation either—what I do is observe and postulate the truths of life, predictions of the future, and interpretations of the past.

I completed and self-published my first book of poems in 2022, The Artists Are Frightened. It is, as many artists will probably understand, no longer a reflection of my present self, but it does document the emergence of that voice and my infallible confidence in it. The title references the growing societal dilemma concerning how we, as artists, can ideate and create with abandon despite the fear of saying the wrong thing and the consequences that may ensue. Does concern for image and appearance constrain our creative wingspan, and if so—what is the solution?

“The artists are frightened. What art will shaking hands yield.”

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This is the most difficult question of all—I have that arresting predisposition that makes it difficult for me to be in charge of activities, but let’s give it a go.

I would take them to a few of my favorite food and drink spots: Lolo Wine Bar (exceptional steak), Kazu Nori (the Sugarfish experience without the A/C so cranked you feel as if they’re trying to freeze you out), Courage Bagels ($15 bagel is exceptional, but it’s really the coffee that makes me stand in that godforsaken line) and El Prado (the place that answers the question, “Where can I drink a delicious $16 glass of bubbly orange wine, sitting on a rickety, salvaged stool, whilst leaning against a meter pole). Of course, we’d wander the luminous hallowed aisles of Erewhon, grab some pre-packaged goodies to go, and have a nice picnic at the Silverlake Reservoir too. Activity-wise, a series of hikes and river floating excursions in the beautiful Angeles Forest would be in order, as well as a pilgrimage to a beautiful secluded beach in Malibu.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’m traditionally rather uneducated, having barely made it out of high school and never even feeling the confidence to pursue any further formal education. My mother has trusted in my innate talent from day one, challenging me to step into rooms where the confidence in my own intellect felt shaky at best, and pushing me at every turn to ultimately do what brings me joy. She has protected the integrity of my spirit and urged me to make decisions that would probably seem foolish to some, but ultimately come from her intimate knowledge of who I really am. Thank you, Maman.

Website: https://www.alanacloudrobinson.com

Instagram: @alanacloudrobinson

Other: https://acrobinson.substack.com

Image Credits
Main image: Alexandra Lopez (@alexandraissabella)