Reflection of me as a writer, not as an individual.

I started this out as an introduction post but it eventually turned into a reflection of who I am as a writer. Well, I stuck with it.

Writing at a local coffee shop with an iced vanilla latte.

When individuals think of writers, they think of someone who spends all their days, tucked into their office, face and pen glued to the paper, and writing away. Simply, it's just not true. Writers come in all different shapes, sizes, formats, styles, and genres-- you name it, its out there. It's an outstanding community of people who share one thing in common-- the love and passion for writing.

Let's not get it twisted, I had a "writers stereotype" before I became one myself. I felt like as if I needed to read all of the classic pieces of literature, spend all (and I mean all) of my free time writing, and should have my first novel published when I graduated with my bachelors degree. WRONG! It takes time to figure out what your personal voice is as a writer and what works best for you. While I really have only been writing for three years now, I am still consistently learning and growing my written voice.

The Start

I have been in school for all of my life, studying away and working on the side, but I am discovering that I haven't truly been living my life the way I wanted. While school is my priority, it sucks the ever-living-life, passion, and love out of me, leaving behind a meat suit who wakes up, goes to class, works, makes dinner, and goes to sleep. Aaandd repeat! I noticed this repetitive, mundane, soul-sucking experience felt like I was being dragged on the bottom of the ocean floor and slowly losing oxygen as the days passed. As I was dragging on through life, something clicked in me that I didn't have to carry on life this way. Now, I was slightly hovering on the floor of the ocean, ready to swim up.

Backtrack here-- let's get some basic information out of the way with. I was born and raised in North Carolina, in which I love dearly. Arts, specifically writing, wasn't a popular topic in my hometown and growing up. I was told to become a teacher, go into nursing, or open up a business. When my immediate family would ask, "What are you studying in school?" I would tell them, "English."

"Why would you need to study if if you already speak it?"

If you are or have studied English, I could feel your eye roll after reading that. Trust me, in my small town, I had to explain every time that I wasn't learning the language, I was learning to become a writer. Now, at 22 years old, the new question is, "Are you going into teaching?" I simply reply with, "Nope. Going into journalism."

I had a normal childhood and did the normal kid things. As an adult, I realized how big my imagination was for a kid. I had imaginary friends, mini worlds that I have created, and everything had a some type of imagination attached to it. Now, when I am writing fantasy or magical realism, I feel like little me giving a life to something that isn't real.

Little me with my typewriter in my backyard

The Middle (Currently)

However, life felt like I was on 2x speed when I reached high school. I went to an early college, meaning I completed high school and my associates degree at the same time within a 5 year frame. The time there was an amazing experience and I did some soul searching as well. I met my boyfriend of 5 years (now going on 6) and reconnected with my childhood best friend after drifting apart for almost two years. I also discovered my passion for English-- specifically, writing.

While I didn't start a blog or have a book that I was working on during the late nights of study sessions, I did become intrigued by it. I started taking more English courses when I was completing my associates degree and even thought about going to university to be a high school English teacher (so so happy I didn't take that route). Fast forward to wrapping up my first year at university, journalism stole my heart.

Yes, I do have the goal of writing a book (there is one in progress) and, yes, I do have a plan to go back and teach when I have lived, traveled, and experienced the world; but journalism walked into my life and I ran with it. I started to do some work freelancing for my hometown newspaper and writing for The Seahawk at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Now, I work for freelancing at another local paper in my college town.

In addition, I found an amazing group of writers who all shared their love and passion for writing and reporting. Some of these individuals have inspired me to pick up writing my book and viewing life in a different perspective. I found a sense of community within journalism, which just fueled my passion for writing even more.

The Never-Ending End

While I found my professional writing job, journalism, and running as fast and as far as I could, something felt a little off. I graduated with my bachelors degree in English, with a concentration in professional writing, in December 2024 and I started looking for some small writing jobs to work at while I am completing my master's degree. It felt like I had figured out what I wanted to do professionally but, what about the fun parts?

My life felt grey and my writing became, unseasoned. I kept asking myself, "Why do I never feel happy with my work? Am I burnt out? Was this a temporary interest and I wasted a whole degree on it?" In simple terms, I put all my efforts and energy into my professional work that I never took the time to work on my creative work. My writing was a reflection of my life and I needed to change it.

I started to re-vamp my blog (moving to a new platform for more creative freedom) and working on my creative pieces. Blogging is an amazing outlet that I started and I am constantly brewing for new ideas. I think the main reason is that blogging feels like journalism but fun and personal. My blog allows me to explore different outlets, writing styles, content, and my overall voice and I am happy that I started one.

One of my goals this summer is to work on my book that I started in early 2024. My boyfriend told me that I should just sit down and write a book and see where it takes me. Well, I took his advice and I had 71 pages (front and back, 1.5 spaced, 8.5x11 paper) of really great work that just needs to be shifted to my current writing style. The idea is there, I just need to complete it. I even joined a writers group at my local library in my college town to find a community of writers to exchange ideas, get feedback, and find my sense of belonging in this writing world. I shifted my creative energy into mu writing and quiet literally, I am now bobbing the top of the ocean.

Some days I have huge wave surges that suck me back under and that make me feel incapable in becoming the writer I want to be and other days it feels like I am sitting in a O-ring float and riding the waves. It happens all of the time when it comes to writing. There are going to be voices who want to sink me back down to the bottom of the ocean floor but, there are other voices who keep me afloat even during the choppy waves. It's simply the beauty of writing.

This post is a reflection, not simply of myself, but of the writer that I have become. It has taken me almost a year to solidify that this is the life that I truly wanted, especially in a time where STEM and business fields are booming and the arts are dying. Writers help us escape reality, entertain, and most importantly, keep stories alive and I couldn't ask for anything else.

This is just the start of my writing journey. I still have so much writing to do and paths to take. I also have so many writing milestones that I cannot wait to achieve in the future.