Ukrainian writer and poet Iryna Yashchuk: My mission is to set an example of resilience and strength by writing despite illness and a turbulent world

Iryna Yashchuk, a Ukrainian writer and poet, is the author of the bilingual poetry collection The House of Puzzles, written in Ukrainian and Italian. She believes that the emotional impact of a poem can vary depending on the language in which it is read. One of the key themes she aims to explore in literature is illness. Her upcoming book will be based on her personal experience of battling and living with a disease. Beyond her literary work, Iryna has been a copywriter since 2014, creating content for various companies. Iryna shared insights with Drive Music Media on how she balances copywriting with her writing career, her poetry collection The House of Puzzles, and her new book project.

Interviewer: How and when did your writing journey begin? What were your first steps in this field?

Iryna: I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember – letters, detective stories in a checkered notebook, poetry, a blog, and eventually copywriting. However, I started moving more actively toward professional writing in 2018 when I published my first collection, The House of Puzzles. From 2019 to 2023, I took a long break due to the birth of my child, work overload, maternity leave, and external events. But by the end of 2023, I woke up with the realization that life is too short and fragile not to pursue what I’ve always wanted. So, I returned to writing – and haven’t stopped since.

Interviewer: Tell us about your poetry collection The House of Puzzles. What was the creation process like? Why did you decide to write it in two languages, Ukrainian and Italian?

Iryna: At some point, I had written so many poems that publishing a book felt like the natural next step. My friends played a big role in this process – Olya Bondarchuk created the calligraphy for the chapter titles and book name, while Fedir Hontsa designed the maps, cover, and layout. We worked on it for about six months before sending it to print.

Interviewer: Which poem from your collection holds the most significance for you, and why?

Iryna: That’s a tough question! But I’d choose this one, written around 2009 on impulse during a hot summer in Italy. When I finished it, I realized it was something more mature and profound than anything I had written before. That was probably the moment I knew there would be a book someday.

"Sei minuti per bere il caffè

Sette minuti per ricordarsi dei treni

però questo è poco per me

Nella stanza il tempo è come un fiume

Due minuti e perdo di vista la luna

Un momento. La felicità è sparita

Taci! Le parole non mi portano l’allegria

Mi gira la testa dalla luce

Aspettami, voglio dire che sono ancora

viva.

Tre minuti e vado a dormire

Dove sono i tuoi abbracci?

Non ce ne sono più.

Cambierei il tempo per la tristezza

mezz’ora di silenzio solo per noi

La candela si è spenta nelle tue mani

Dove sono i tuoi sogni? Non ce ne sono più.

Mi serve solo un’ora per ricordare la favola,

per dimenticarla ci vuole mezza vita.

Ti prego dammi il tuo affetto,

o butta via questa lordura da me.

Cinque minuti per abbracciarsi…

Basta sognare!

Era solo un sogno

Il tempo scorre come un pazzo

Il canto della tempesta e il silenzio…

all’unisono".

By the way, I recorded these poems as an audio album.

Interviewer: You have extensive experience as a copywriter. Tell us about this part of your life and why you decided to transition from copywriting to writing literature.

Iryna: You know, I was so afraid to call myself a writer that I found a related job – copywriting. It allowed me to write while still being a “real” job. I’ve been creating content for companies and businesses since 2014, and I haven’t stopped. I enjoy structuring information and discovering interesting facts. When I get tired of copywriting, I switch to something more artistic. One job brings me income, the other – so far – brings me joy and curiosity about the process. They’re connected. In both, we search for the right words to convey meaning.

Interviewer: You're currently writing a book about an illness that is part of your life. Tell us about "House Was Right: You Have Lupus". Why did you decide to share your story, and what is your goal in writing this book?

Interviewer: Talking about health problems has always been taboo. But living with an invisible illness is challenging – people with lupus often look completely fine on the outside, yet inside, it’s like a metal concert where their own antibodies attack healthy organs, trying to destroy them. How do you explain chronic fatigue or constant pain without mentioning the real cause?

When I was diagnosed with lupus, there was almost no information about it in Ukrainian. I started writing about it because I knew I wasn’t alone. Over time, women with the same diagnosis began reaching out to me, asking questions, seeking support. It happened so often (for a rare disease, getting messages from someone new every month is significant) that I realized it was time to gather my experience and put it into a book.

Interviewer: How difficult is it to continue your career amid the full-scale war of russia against Ukraine? What challenges have you faced on this path? Where do you find inspiration?

Iryna: I found my main job during the war and continue working in it. The biggest challenge, I’d say, is simply being in a country where there’s a constant threat of destruction. It's a harsh reality to live with. But paradoxically, it’s because of this (and I realize it sounds strange) that I started writing a lot more and moving toward fulfilling my dream of becoming a writer. After all, when else could I do it? Life is too short and fragile to put everything off for better times.

Interviewer: Tell us about the process of finding a publisher. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Iryna: Finding a publisher is an interesting quest because there needs to be a match, and both sides should benefit from it. I'm a person who loves organization, so here's my advice for beginners: understand the style of your work; make a table and list all the publishers; sort them by the genres or styles they are interested in; write to those who match your work and keep track of whom you’ve contacted and who has responded.

Interviewer: Apart from your book, what projects are you currently working on?

Iryna: I’ve just finished writing and editing my second poetry collection, "Mushlove Sky". I hope to publish it in 2025. I also dream of finishing the fairytale I started seven years ago. My daughter is eagerly waiting for it. At the end of 2024, I began holding offline writer’s meetings and workshops where I live, as well as online. During these sessions, I share interesting writing exercises, methods, and story ideas. We write a lot in these workshops. Together with other fellow writers, I launched the project li.t.u.s.a, where we share our writing journeys and compete for a publishing contract.

Interviewer: What mission do you have as a Ukrainian writer and poet? Why this particular mission?

Iryna: My mission is to capture the creativity of this time for future generations, especially during the war. I want to demonstrate strength and resilience, showing that it’s possible to write despite chronic, incurable illnesses, the turbulence of the world, and personal struggles. I aim to increase the presence of the Ukrainian language in the literary world.

Interviewer: What word do you associate with your writing and poetic activities? Why that word?

Iryna: Cosmos, because as my neighbor recently said, "The words come from somewhere out there in the cosmos, right?".

 I haven’t yet figured out how this "portal" of creative energy opens, but the first word that came to mind when you asked was cosmos.

Creativity is cosmic, and so are we.

Pictures were provided by Iryna Yashchuk