Member-only story
About Me — Seda A.
A screenwriter & filmmaker in Hollywood with chemical & biological engineering degree.
My story of becoming who I am today.
Born in Istanbul, Turkey, I grew up with parents who were in an extremely toxic relationship. Not only did they have a big age gap but also my dad’s everyday practice was gaslighting and being very jealous of his younger wife. Taking me from one therapist to another, my caring mom did her best to protect my mental health.
The moment I learned how to write, I kept a diary daily. But instead of writing “dear diary” and what happened that day, I would lose myself in stories that I created. I would make up additional characters and storylines for American TV series, international cartoon shows, and anime I’d watch on TV.
Imagine glasses flying around and my dad violently pushing my mom around while there’s me, a 4-year-old little girl, making up stories in her little Barbie diary. That diary was followed by 28 other diaries filled with my stories until I turned 18.
Yet, no one pointed out that I was born to be a writer or that the circumstances have made me one. Instead, my dad pushed his idealization of his brother, who was one of the lead Chemical Engineers at Procter & Gamble back then. I thought I’d finally…
