Meet Evan Raiff | Poet, Author, Storyteller

We had the good fortune of connecting with Evan Raiff and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Evan, why did you pursue a creative career?
For me, I don’t know if there was ever any other choice.

Art and creativity has always been a significant part of my life for as long as I can remember. I first stepped on stage at four years old for a preschool production and immediately fell in love with the stage. In school, I would relish every opportunity we were given to write, read, or tell stories. From there, I enrolled in a local youth theater program and dived into every book I could get my hands on. My passion for art has always been present, from grade school to college.

My senior year of college, I made the decision to truly pursue art and entertainment as a career. I knew Los Angeles was the place for me, and I began to plan to move from Boston to Los Angeles. In September of 2016, I hopped on the plane and dived in to the City of Angels. As soon as I got off the plane I knew I had found my home.

I have always believed that the pursuit of satisfaction and fulfillment is the most paramount pursuit we have as human beings. To me, there is nothing more fulfilling than creating, whether it’s arts or otherwise. It’s when I truly feel the most alive and connected to the world around me. Of course, pursuing it as a career does shift the focus from a creative hobby to business pursuit. But that just means finding time throughout the day to dedicate towards my art, even if it’s just during a fifteen minute break. For me, a day without creating is like a day without water.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am an artist at heart. A poet, author, and storyteller in a variety of different mediums.

My current focus is on writing and publishing my poetry.

I self-published my first book, “Loose Marbles and Pretty Words: To Die and Live Again in Los Angeles”, in July of 2023. It was a reflective endeavor of my journey in coming to Los Angeles with a dream of acting and Hollywood, and discovering who I truly was as a person. It is a short collection of poems, focusing on self-doubt, the pursuit of dreams, and learning one’s self. It is currently available on Amazon at the link below:

At the moment, I am working on my second collection of poems, currently titled ‘And Other Ways To Say I Love You’. This collection is an exploration of the differing types of love felt across the human experience. While most love poems focus on the elation of love’s romantic aspects, this collection will instead seek to dive deep into all of the shades of red that love provides, from the brightest pink of a childhood crush, to the darkest crimson of spilt blood. Love is all-encompassing, so why not look at it from all angles?

In today’s day and age of temporary dopamine from a button, I hope this book can find its audience: anyone lost, looking for love, looking for themselves. The world has only gotten, and will continue to grow, faster. It can be hard to take the time to slowly peel back the layers on ourselves and see who and what we really are. I wish for this book to be a guide on that journey.

I have also previously produced three short films, which have gone on to be accepted into numerous film festivals and be nominated for ‘Best Of the Year’ accolades. There are several ideas for pilots and features that I am enamored with. I love film, television, acting, and producing. And I hope to dabble in those crafts for my entire life as well.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The best part of Los Angeles is that there’s a little bit of everything, so every trip here would be different from the last

First, we would start with a trip up the Verdugo Mountains in Burbank. It’s a truly spectacular sight, being able to see all different parts of the valley and even down to the ocean on the clearer days. From there, it be a day spent exploring the studios. After all, Burbank is the Media Capital of the World and you can’t come to this city without seeing at least one of the studios!

After that would be exploring Studio City, specifically Universal. Between the showmanship of the rides, the wonder of the Studio Tour, or the amazing food on the City Walk, it’s a perfect encapsulation of Los Angeles.

Next, Hollywood. Touristy, busy, and parking is never easy. But the TCL Chinese Theater and the rich history of that part of the city is second to none. It’s a cliche to say Hollywood Boulevard is a tourist trap, but cliches exist for a reason, and there’s an infinite amount of reasons to see the stars. And, when the crowds become too much, we can head up to Griffith and see the incredible exhibits.

After that is a quick stop to Rodeo Drive because, even though shopping isn’t the forte, it’s still worth it to see the architecture and care that went into the structure of the street itself, especially around the holidays. Then it’s a brief drive up the 405 to see the Getty. Between the art and the views, it’s truly a sight to behold

Santa Monica comes next. The beaches, the pier, the food. It’s an iconic part of this city and needs to be thoroughly explored. You can’t have a complete LA experience without sitting by the beach and watching the waves crash in and out.

Finally, an early morning drive down to Anaheim to see the House of Mouse, Disneyland. People come from all over the world to spend their time at the Happiest Place on Earth. But, you have to get there early to truly maximize your time. Between the rides, the food, the shows, and the fireworks, every moment is something special.

It would be busy and spread out, but if you come to Los Angeles, you need to experience the whole thing.

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?
There are a few people who have helped me get to where I am. Each of them, in their own way, has shaped me into the artist I am today and guided me down this path

My fiancée, for being my cheerleader, my rock, and my muse

My collegiate theatrical director, Reggie Phoenix, for giving me the mentorship, guidance, and foundation to pursue the arts as a career and make the move from Boston to Los Angeles

My Friends and Family, for continuing to support my endeavors. They have provided such a sturdy safety net that I can pursue this wholeheartedly because, even if I fall, they’ll be there to pick me back up

The Art of Acting Conservatory for welcoming me into Los Angeles and providing a hub and safe haven for likeminded artists to grow and expand their horizons

Website: https://linktr.ee/evanraiffpoetry

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evanraiffpoetry/

Other: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/evanraiff

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/40363592.Evan_Raiff

Image Credits
Headshot: Michael Tari
Illustrator: Scott Milton Brazee
Poster Art: Tara Kuck
Black and White: Corey (Weddings by LMP)