Celeste Ramos
Q What do you do?
“I am a creative storyteller.”
I write grounded magical realism, psychological thrillers, poetry, and I also work as a voiceover. Lots of slashies :) But they're all united by story.
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
Since getting my degree in Creative Writing, I've honed my craft over many years of writing any and everywhere I could, including workshops and classes. I've performed my work at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, the British Library, Waterstones London, and Edinburgh Fringe, and at events in Amsterdam, Oslo, and Berlin. My art is informed by my love for decoding things. I am a natural analyzer and love to incorporate Jungian symbols into my work.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
My multinational, multifaceted background makes me something of a creative Swiss Army knife. I can engage with many different people with my writing, and this includes my experience in the business world, where I've worked as a copywriter and proposal writer for high-value business proposals. I'm a high-concept creative who delivers nuance to her work. I also stand out just by being a woman and Afrolatina--a grossly misunderstood and misrepresented part of what's currently understood to be the Hispanic/Latinx community.
Q What are you working on right now?
I'm building my body of work as a storyteller, performing as often as I can and wrapping up written and digital projects ahead of pitching for representation. I am looking for opportunities to collaborate on projects that tell other people's stories.
Q What’s your style?
I was heavily influenced by old episodes of "The Twilight Zone," short stories and arthouse foreign film growing up, so most of my work is dreamy, noir'y, full of social commentary but also very grounded.
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
Writing short stories.
Q What is frustrating you right now?
I don't have a mentor.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
Admin and research: looking for funding and proposal opportunities/calls for artists; help to track expenses; help with staying on top of cultural discussions and current events that my work could contribute to.
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
Trust your creative visions.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
How to connect with people who will actually get things made and completed. I find myself doing things on my own way more than I should, and I wouldn't do it that way if I could meet people with the same amount of drive.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
Collaborators for visual projects. If a person or company is looking for unique story ideas for short films, campaigns, ads, it would be a pleasure to develop something visual and meaningful for them.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
There's two! 1. Writing an episode of a magical realism anthology series. Something like Cabinet of Curiosities without the horror element. 2. Partnering with international travel brands and (ethical) luxury brands to tell the stories of the people who use them.
Q What is your rate?
Depends entirely on the project. Average $200/hour.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
Q Who is a creative you admire?
Samuel Laubscher
Philip Nails, Typewriters Anonymous
Austin Alexander, PoetikLA
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
I go for long drives or go dancing.
This member profile was originally published in June 2023