Ukrainian writer Renata Litynska: Books that don't frighten or terrify but instead bring balance, calm, and hope for the bettercreating – such books is how I see my humble mission

Renata Litynska is a Ukrainian writer, author of the short story collection Renata Sometimes Writes and co-author of the memory tales Grandma, Tell Me About Yourself. She believes that writing "simply" is difficult, as the ability to bring calm and offer hope in a rapidly changing world is no easy task. Renata shared with Drive Music Media her love for novellas and essays, the process of creating Renata Sometimes Writes and Grandma, Tell Me About Yourself, and her experience presenting her book in Athens, the capital of Greece.

Interviewer: When and how did you realize you wanted to connect your life with writing? What were your first steps in this field?

Renata: My first attempt at writing happened spontaneously in 2019. I never imagined my life would revolve around writing, but people enjoyed what I wrote, so I decided to develop my skills further. My first steps included publishing works on social media and taking courses with Litosvita to understand how to progress in this field.

Interviewer: Tell us about your short story collection "Renata Sometimes Writes". The title seems simple and gives a sense of "one wave". Why did you choose it? And why did you focus on documentary-style writing?

Renata: "Renata Sometimes Writes" is a collection of short prose that warms the soul, restoring faith in goodness, humanity, and love. The title of the book comes from the hashtag under which I published my first essays. These essays expressed thoughts that had been in my heart for a long time but only took shape during the full-scale war in Ukraine when I temporarily moved to England. I had a lot of free time, and after three months of daily writing, I returned home and started working on the book. I’m grateful to my publisher Vidkryttia for believing in me as a writer – it marked the beginning of a new chapter in my life.

Interviewer: You co-authored the collection of memory-stories "Grandma, Tell Me About Yourself". Are the stories based on real-life experiences, or is the book written as fictional memories of the main characters? Tell us about your collaboration.

Renata: The memory-stories are real-life accounts that transport the reader back to childhood. This was my first time participating in such a large-scale collaboration – there were 30 authors and, thus, 30 stories in the book. This project came into being at a time when I was ready to share my treasured memories of my grandmother and the close, friendly bond we had that transcended circumstances.

Interviewer: Tell us about the presentation of your first book in Athens. How did you prepare, and which publisher organized the event?

Renata: The online audiobook station SLÚHAVKA, with whom I collaborated to record the audiobook version of "Renata Sometimes Writes", helped me with the presentation in Greece. I had two meetings with Ukrainian diaspora communities in Athens, both of which were well-attended and significant for me because it was the first time my book reached beyond Ukraine.

Interviewer: Writing a book is one thing; illustrating it in a way that fully conveys the author’s vision is another. Tell us about the illustrators you’ve worked with. How difficult was it to achieve a harmonious result?

Renata: From the beginning, there was perfect harmony because the illustrations played a key role in inspiring the book. Illustrator Anna Kharchenko captured the mood of my stories perfectly. She drew The Tangerines, and I felt an immediate urge to share her work with the world. I trusted her vision for the rest of the illustrations, making only a few corrections. It was a productive yet easy creative collaboration. Anna and I continue to work together on a new book.

Interviewer: Which story from your books stands out the most to you? Why?

Renata: My favorite story is Forgiveness. Every time I think about it, it touches me deeply. It’s the story of a priest who, first and foremost, is an ordinary person facing significant challenges in his vocation. Although I created the plot, the meaning of the story is very precious to me.

Interviewer: You are currently working on lyrical and romantic prose for adults. Why did you decide to change direction? What inspired you?

Renata: I believe this shift happened naturally. I had written enough essays for a new book that revolves around relationships and emotions between lovers. Since some works include erotic scenes, the upcoming collection is marked as 18+. Progress on this book has been slower than I’d like, as the ongoing war in Ukraine drains my moral strength.

Interviewer: What other projects are you working on besides your lyrical and romantic stories? What can readers expect from you soon?

Renata: I’ve tried my hand at longer formats and have completed part of a novel, but I realized that short stories and essays bring me the most joy. This is where I want to grow. Short prose, in fact, is an art I strive to master. For now, I’m on this journey. I even enrolled in a year-long writing course but dropped out halfway through because it wasn’t the right fit for me. I draw inspiration from the short prose of the brilliant Andrii Sodomora, who frequently gives me valuable advice and recommends literature to develop my foundational reading skills.

Interviewer: What is your mission as an author of both children’s and adult stories? Why?

Renata: I want to write about normalcy in all things – a quality that feels scarce nowadays. I don’t chase trends, which sometimes harm good taste, but rather seek words that resonate with the reader’s soul. Writing simply is very challenging. My mission is to create books that don’t frighten or shock but instead balance, comfort, and offer hope for the better.

Interviewer: Which word best describes your writing? Why?

Renata: My life motto is: "Don’t waste time on anything that isn’t about love". I see writing as pure love, for which I’m never reluctant to spend my time or effort.

Pictures were taken by Myzak Taras and Nadiia Rotman