Ukrainian writer and poet Anna Burban: Poetry, for me, is like a sword – it strikes with precision, while prose is like a blanket you can wrap yourself in

Anna Burban – Ukrainian writer and poet, author of the novel Frenzied, who interviews female writers and poets as part of her project "A Woman in the World of Words".

A significant part of her creative work is her cultural charitable foundation "Kolomyia – Our City", through which she launched a writing mastery course open to anyone interested. Anna shared with Drive Music Media her journey as a writer, the unity of women, and her project "The Place Where I Am".

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

Anna: I started writing at a very young age, but back then, it was just a child's imagination at play, pretending to be a writer. In school, I had the opportunity to work as a journalist for the youth magazine "I am a Leader", where I honed my skills in column writing and interviewing. My first serious work was published in Dnipro magazine, and I even received a fee for it! Imagine the joy of a schoolgirl earning her first money from creativity!

Interviewer: Between prose and poetry, which is closer to you? Why?

Anna: I am quite dual in nature. Maybe it's just who I am, or maybe it has something to do with being born on the second day of the second month. Both prose and poetry are equally important and dear to me. Poetry is like a sword, a needle, or a lightning bolt – it strikes with precision. Prose, on the other hand, envelops like a blanket or spreads like smoke, depending on what I write about and what emotion I want to evoke in the reader.

Interviewer: Tell us about the first poetry collection that included your poems. What was the process of creating it like? Which poem in the collection holds the most special meaning for you, and why?

Anna: So far, the only published works I have are in prose – my novel Frenzied and my academic editorial work on The Principle of Majority. As for poetry, I kept it hidden for a long time, thinking it wouldn’t be interesting to others. Some of my poems were published in anthologies alongside other authors, but now I am preparing my own poetry collection for publication and hope it will see the light of day by the end of this year.

Interviewer: Besides poetry, you also write prose. You are the author of two books, "Cold" and "Frenzied". Tell us about them. Who are the main characters?

Anna: "Cold" is a story about love and choice, told through a rather youthful perspective. That’s not surprising since the novella was published while I was still in school. Of course, today I would write it with more skill, but at the time, I did my best, and I’m proud that it was published.

"Frenzied" is a novel about a man who returns from the war in Eastern Ukraine with physical injuries and tries to live a peaceful life in his hometown, Kolomyia, working as an investigator. I envisioned the story of Ihor and Sofiia as a trilogy about their journey as a couple and parents, as well as their personal growth and fight against evil. However, due to the full-scale invasion, the second part became irrelevant. Now, I am working on a story that will resonate with people, feel timely, and carry a ray of hope.

Interviewer: You participated in the Birmingham Literature Festival. What inspired you to take part? What advice would you give to those planning to attend similar festivals?

Anna: Besides being a writer, I also run a charitable foundation, so I needed to see firsthand how literary processes work in European countries – to learn, take inspiration, and bring something valuable back to implement in my hometown. Many aspects of the Birmingham Festival were familiar to me from Ukrainian events, but certain organizational details were particularly impressive. My main advice: keep a clear mind and ensure you have enough financial resources.

Interviewer: In addition to being a writer, you are also the head of the charitable foundation "Kolomyia – Our City". Tell us about it. What areas does it focus on?

Anna: The foundation has been operating for almost 15 years, and I have been leading it for the past seven. It started as a cultural project aimed at promoting the city of Kolomyia and its cultural heritage. We have implemented large-scale projects, some of which are even recorded in the Book of Records of Ukraine. Currently, my focus is on supporting young writers because I see a need to nurture literary talent and promote Ukrainian literature abroad.

Interviewer: Tell us about your writing mastery course. How did the idea to launch it come about? What results can students expect by the end of the course?

Anna: The idea emerged before the full-scale invasion but had to wait for the right moment. Now, I see that writers lack a safe space for support, collaboration, and networking because the war has scattered us across the world. Each participant sets their own success markers for completing the course – whether it's new connections or a specific number of written works. Personally, I hope that participants will get exactly what they came for – and that they will return for future courses.

Interviewer: What projects are you currently working on?

Anna: I am actively working on the project "The Place Where I Am", which combines painting with my poetry and short prose. The synergy of words and colors is pure magic. The project will be presented in Lviv on March 11, and the poetry is also available online under the Instagram hashtag #місцедея. 

I recently launched an interview series featuring writers connected to the war, which you can watch on my YouTube channel Anna Burban. Additionally, I run "A Woman in the World of Words", a series of interviews with female writers, available on my Instagram page.

Interviewer: What is your mission as a Ukrainian writer and researcher? Why this particular mission?

Anna: Perhaps because I am a mother of three, I want to instill faith in the power of women in every woman's heart. This is what my work is about – the idea that a woman can shape her life the way she dreams and desires because our greatest resource is ourselves. I believe in sisterhood and female solidarity.

Interviewer: What word best represents your writing and research work? Why?

Anna: Freedom. If anywhere, creativity is where we must be free. Freedom is a value, a virtue, and a responsibility.

Pictures were provided by Anna Burban