My Journey into Writing
Hi, everyone! I’m not the greatest at keeping up here, but I’ve been asked a lot recently how I got into writing and storytelling. Honestly, when I was a kid, I was externally motivated. I am not ashamed to admit that I read for those free Pizza Hut coupons, but doing so, I discovered a love for many different types of books.
I was also a Nickelodeon kid, obsessed with pranks, slime, and spooky stories. Naturally, I fell in love with Goosebumps books at an early age. When my mom went shopping each week, I’d beg her to just “walk” down the book aisle to see if R.L. Stine had anything new (and in the 90s, OF COURSE, he always had a new release).
Needless to say, I devoured each one (and yes, The Ghost Next Door changed my life—haha!). I then moved on to Fear Street, Christopher Pike, and finally, Stephen King. I remember reading It at thirteen or fourteen and being totally blown away by how real the characters were and how cool a villain could be. I mean, what better bad guy than fear itself? Reading more King, I loved the way he told stories but would often get frustrated because I had my own ideas about how his stories should end.
In high school and college, I read a LOT of classics and admired so many writers, but I often found it hard to know what I would have to add to the conversation.
My journey to becoming a writer was not straightforward. I had periods where I had tons to say and then nothing at all for months. I’d have so many questions, but no answers would come through in my writing. As frustrating as that may be, I came to learn that those feelings and fluxes were all a part of the process. Writing is how we work out those hard questions. No, there isn’t a “correct” answer, and everyone’s process is different, but it’s the process—the dedication to writing and storytelling—that really matters. Writing a page a day (or even one sentence) is small, but day after day, it can add up to something big.
And I think we’re all storytellers in our own ways. We tell stories through art, writing, design, and film, but also through the connections between us: the conversations we have standing in line at the grocery store, the mother who holds hands with her child as they fall asleep, the dreams we have when it’s just us and no other interruptions.
Writing has been the constant in my life that has kept me grounded. When things feel out of control, there’s always a clean document. When I’m sad, the page is waiting. When I’m so happy I could burst, my joy dances on the page. After creating various works, I found my own voice. You can see my big influences (Ray Bradbury, Shirley Jackson, Mark Danielewski, etc.), but there’s also something else—something unique, something that’s just me—and there’s no greater joy than seeing it on the page and getting the opportunity to share that with others.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. Whether you’re a fellow writer or just love a good story, I hope you find your own joy in the pages you create and the tales you tell.
-Aimee Hardy
