Writers Gonna Write (my version)

My writing endeavors over the past few years have mostly been focused on children’s books. I consider these books to be poems with pretty pictures more or less, and I’m super proud of how they have turned out. Most of all, I enjoy the process of experimenting with my illustrative style and developing characters along the way. Every once in a while though, the thinky thoughts start thinking about more than sing-songy poems and pretty pictures. As much as I try to push those thoughts aside, the 2am jabs from my brain to my fingers eventually win out. The thinky thoughts need out. 

So here I am on my back porch in my pajamas, laptop open, coffee in hand, dogs nestled around me while I have a little writing session to get those thoughts out (that’s all lies… my dogs have zero chill and are chasing lizards and yelling at the wind; but the view is nice). My dogs have been the main characters in my books so far. There is no shortage of inspiration with their antics, and I love telling stories from what I envision to be their point of view. Plus, most everyone loves dogs, so that works too. 

Artists, writers, creative types…. we all get our inspiration from what’s around us. We are observers. Constantly cataloging sights, sounds, feelings, tucking them into a virtual file to go back and search through when we need something to describe those pesky thinky thoughts. Or at least that’s how it works for me. It’s a messy unorganized Pinterest board between my ears. It borderline looks like the thumbtack stringline wall of a true crime investigation. Sidebar: stay sexy and listen to true crime podcasts. 

The writing process for me is a pretty private thing. It marinates, ebbs and flows, and eventually I release it to the world. Regardless of how my writing has oozed out into the world so far, I have yet to hear someone say “oh great, another book about her dogs…. Doesn’t she have anything else to write about?” Or, “she hasn’t written anything for a while, bet she’ll go get another dog and write a story about it”  [side eye from my 3 dogs]

Taylor Swift has entered the chat. …..Look what you made me do…. 

I bet you didn’t think that’s where this was going, and honestly, same. The thinky thoughts have their own flow chart, I’m just along for the ride. I rarely write or post about current events, politics, famous people… unless it somehow itches me. And this…ooof. It’s itchy. Let’s have a chat about Tay Tay. Swerve your eye rolls elsewhere and hang with me for a sec. 

Taylor Swift is internationally known (she’s known to rock the microphone…. y’all someone come get me).  Anyway, she’s a writer at heart. An incredibly talented writer, and that’s just skimming the surface of her arsenal of artistry. To be honest I haven't  followed her career consistently. I was mostly familiar with her music during what I now know was her “Debut” era. She wasn’t on my radar again until this past year. I found myself watching her Eras Tour concert in one minute increments, live on TikTok at 3am when I couldn’t sleep…all those thinky thoughts. I quickly caught up on things, by observing, thanks to all the Swifites, who are probably the kindest, most accepting, wholesome people collectively. Friendship bracelets, heart hands, toss in some glitter bound by music and relatable life experiences… I dare you to be mad about it. 

[at this point in my morning writing session, my dogs have officially revolted against relaxing on the back patio and corralled me back to the living room sofa with the lights off to binge watch Grey’s Anatomy as I write. Apparently they much prefer my Dark and Twisty Era]. 

Aside from the positivity swirling around blondie, there of course is no shortage of meanies out there trying to dull her sparkle and hate on all of the happiness she’s bringing to multiple generations. I die dead watching sweet wholesome videos of moms and their kids at the concerts, singing their hearts out, knowing all the lyrics to her songs as if they were straight out of their own journals (don’t get me started on the adorable Swiftie dads, I see you). Her songs are our songs. They are relatable, even though they are inspired by her own life experiences and relationships. Almost like there is an invisible string….

Travis Kelce has entered the chat. 

Y’all. Y’ALL. The haters gonna hate, and boy are they hating. Oh look another guy for her to write a about…  She’s just using him to write another break up song … Here’s another guy to add to her long list of ex-lovers… 

Sadly, I know this isn’t the first time this has happened. It’s just the first time I’ve paid attention to it, and well…  it’s making me itchy, so here I am writing about it. Let me see your hands if you’ve ever gone through a breakup. Had your heart broken. Daydreamed about a fairy tale romance. Cried on the bathroom floor, the cold tile feeling like your most cherished life source. Let me see your hands if you have thought thinky thoughts at midnight. Been betrayed by someone you love….I reckon that’s all of us at some point in our lives. But. are we all out there writing record breaking songs about it? Are we all willing to be that vulnerable and raw? Not to mention possessing the sheer talent required to do such a thing. 

What pushes someone to the point of needing to belittle someone else’s talent to make them feel better about themself ? Why must we break someone down to build ourselves up? Oh, wait she’s in the entertainment industry so she brought this on herself you say… stop. Just stop. 

Angsty rant brought to you by an empty coffee cup, 2 dogs on my lap, a full bladder and my foot is asleep. 

Alright alright, before I build myself up by slamming these keyboard warriors, I will acknowledge that I’ve been there. Perhaps you have been there too.  Lack of self worth and low self esteem can be so loud that no one hears what you’re saying. Been there. Done that. Reflected on it. You know what? I probably listened to some music that related to what I was going through and moved on. It’s me, hi…

I have several books in the works that I hope to release to the world at some point (also can we normalize chaos in the Notes app?). Thankfully I don’t have any haters that I know of, and I am by no means globally known - what’s up Australia friends though, hey?!. 

The fear of failure is real. As is the fear of not being good enough. The fear of offending someone. The fear of doing it wrong. The fear of doing it right. The fear of not being able to ‘shake it off’. As I write this, I am not sure if it’ll ever leave my computer. Sometimes the thinky thoughts land on post-its in my couch cushions or a blog I’ve completely forgotten about (facts). 

We look to the arts for an escape. We turn on the TV to drown out the world for a bit. We listen to a podcast to make the drive go by faster…we rage clean while listening to Lizzo or Beastie Boys (p.s.  my iTunes on shuffle is a whole mood). 

T-Swizzle is building castles out of those hate filled bricks. And until you’ve felt how heavy those bricks can be, MYOB. Don’t dull someone’s sparkle to make yourself shine. Be careful of that mirrorball, you might not like the version of yourself that’s looking back. 

Thanks for reading. Writers need readers. Thoughts need thinkers. Music needs open ears. Open minds never hurt anyone either. Keep shining, the world could use a little more shimmer right about now. And, of course, GO SPORTS
💕

P.S. Some of my inspo for all these thinky thoughts:

2 AM and I'm still awake, writing a song

If I get it all down on paper, it's no longer inside of me

Threatening the life it belongs to

And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd

'Cause these words are my diary screaming out loud

And I know that you'll use them however you want to

-Anna Nalick, Breathe