Interview: Annie Newcomer

In this moving episode of eMerge Unchained, host Aubrey Green sits down with poet and playwright Annie Newcomer during her writing residency at Dairy Hollow in Eureka Springs. Annie shares the story of how writing entered her life after the death of her beloved brother, a Russian and Jewish scholar whose intellectual spirit still guides her pen. What began as a way to tether herself to grief has become a vocation—and a means of mentoring others into the writing life.

Annie reflects on the difference between writing plays and poems, the joy of finding community through writing, and her belief that a poem must “pass through hurdles” before it deserves to be written. From her candid thoughts on doubt and dyslexia to her deep love for the haiku form and the poems of Jo McDougall, Annie offers a portrait of a writer who leads with heart, humility, and hope.

With humor, clarity, and generous insight, Annie reminds us that writing is both a practice and a gift—one that can be shared, celebrated, and used to become a better human being. Whether she’s talking about her husband’s uncanny talent for titling poems or encouraging others to simply begin, Annie’s words stay with you long after the conversation ends.