Where did your discovery of writing come from? Anything here that pointed you early in the direction of writing?
I’ve been a writer since I’ve had a memory. As a kid, I wrote poetry, raps, short stories and comic strips. But in 5th grade, my teacher assigned us to write a poem, about anything. I wrote about Chicago and I got an A. Then a few weeks later, she told me that she had submitted the poem to an anthology for publication and it was chosen to be published. It clicked in that very moment. I was always writing just as a means of expression, but that’s when I consciously became a student of the craft.
How do you affect your confidence and drive to write?
My confidence is directly affected by my willingness to surrender to what I’m attempting to bring forth through my writing. I’ve worked in various mediums/industries, from advertising and marketing to journalism and prose, with the throughline all being storytelling. If I can allow the story that wants to be told to come through, I’m confident. If for whatever reason I’m forcing it, not so confident …
