My Journey
A Personal Account of My Writing Experience
I came across Hoblife some weeks ago and sent over an enquiry email about writing an article for them. We exchanged a few correspondences and I got even more interested in writing for them. At first I did not know what to write about, but I later decided to give an in-depth account of my writing journey thus far.
I figure that it has always been my desire to be a writer. I believe it started back when I was a child. Although those around me would argue that I never mentioned it. And this is mostly true, I did not, because at the time it was still an idea forming in my head.
The truth is, I have always loved to read. This was what got me started — the apparent escape from real life into another world. I remember one day asking a friend about a character in a book — ‘What do you suppose happened to Moon-Face in The Magic Faraway Tree?’ after I completed reading the book series. ‘Nothing happened to him,’ was her reply. ‘He was a work of fiction, not real.’ Well, I guess I always knew that, but surely one can’t just end a book without wondering what happened next.
But maybe I was making too much of an assumption. For I know people who read books and say, ‘Gee that was a great story…’ and their next question, ‘…but what should I cook for dinner?’ Wow!!! how do they even do that? I mean, disconnect so easily from an immersive story and immediately think of something else. Is that even real at all? Yet I could never decide if I envied or loathed this ability they possessed.
…I walk a different path to that of my reading peers. I guess my inability to let go of the stories I read spurs me to write.
What I do know is, I find it difficult to get a storyline out of my head and never wonder about the characters and their future existence again. Honestly, it sometimes could be burdensome thinking of a story character in the middle of a daily task. As it usually births a entirely new follow up story I can’t get to pen down. I believe because of this, I walk a different path to that of my reading peers. I guess my inability to let go of the stories I read spurs me to write.
On a particular cold winter morning years back, I woke up and said to myself. ‘Today, I am going to start writing a book.’ Although I had no skills to actually do this, I booted my computer and began.
Fast forward to now, I am still writing that novel. Why? you would ask. Well, I don’t think it’s brilliant enough yet, I think I need to work on the structure and the POV. But I can conclude that, so far, it has been a wonderful journey. Through courses, making use of the trial and error approach I have learnt a lot. My main improvements have centred around the ability to put my thoughts down on paper (or you might say, on computer) in a coherent fashion.
As I explore the world of writing, It is my dream to become a published author someday. On my path to achieving this dream, I currently write on Medium, Facebook and Instagram hoping to build an audience.
I am Ashley Noel the writer. The avid writer who will one day see her work in print.
