Writing has always been my one true passion. Pouring my thoughts on paper is soothing for the soul and is a powerful therapeutic resource especially when dealing with day to day stressors. I’ve been keeping a journal since a very early age. You could always find me scribbling down poems, letters or notes to special friends and daily journal entries between classes. I’ve dreamed of getting published since age 16. I fondly remember one time when I met up with my brother’s university colleague to discuss my writing ambitions.
My goal was to write an autobiography at that time. He used to write a column consisting mainly of poems and short stories in a local newspaper and I thought since we shared a common love of writing, he might be able to give me some tips. I had this ingrained belief that it would be quite challenging to get published especially given the fact that I approached quite a bit of local publishing houses who were averse to publishing poetry books. When I was in the process of submitting my manuscript two years ago, I encountered a quite a bit of rejection for the aforementioned reason but I’m the type of person who doesn’t back down easily. You could say persistence is my middle name.
The publishing process with Olympia went very smoothly and it was an overall enriching, exciting and fulfilling experience. I remember how psyched I got every-time I received my proofs to approve. This was tangible proof that my dream was actually in the process of coming true.
Last July 26th, I saw my lifelong dream come to fruition. My debut book of poetry was finally published and a few days later, I received my complimentary copies. Needless to say, I was beyond thrilled upon opening my box of books. This book is my brainchild; I had been writing poetry and short stories for years but had never encountered the opportunity to share my thoughts with the rest of the world. I am very precise and self-critical when it comes to language. I must have proofread my writing more than I can remember, adding poems, fixing punctuation, making sure my writing was perfectly polished.
I’m very much my father’s daughter in that regard. Not only do we share the same penmanship, we are both extremely meticulous. There’s no room for errors or misspelling. I’m well aware that perfectionism carries a negative connotation, however, I find that constructive criticism helps challenge and improve your writing skills. Being self-critical doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t believe in your abilities but it shows a remarkable ambition to continue to strive to be the best you can be. A writer, just like any star athletic should always be on top of his game.
Writers are very much like artists; they require a muse to make their creativity flow. A muse doesn’t necessarily have to be a person or love interest. A writer can find their inspiration in nature, by the sea, they can extract beautiful unforgettable memories from their childhood or early life and with a little bit of added imagination, write themselves into a magical world.
Get yourself a copy of her book, here!
