The Call of the Writer -Hello, I'm Vera!

Hello, it's so nice to be here. My name is Vera. I live in Pennsylvania where I wear many hats as an artist, writer, cosplayer, goofball and more.

I'm hoping by being here I can connect with other creatives, especially authors. I've always had a bliss for writing, but I didn't realize it until recently. It was always the thing I did for fun after school. I would sit and write ghost stories on an old computer than ran DOS. I lost track of time to the thrill of pounding out all my ideas on the keyboard. Unfortunately, my work was saved on an old floppy disk that did not stand the test of time. Much like that floppy disk, I forgot about my passion when I went to college.

As the years went by, I worked many different types of jobs, and was happy with receiving a paycheck, but the awareness that the embers inside of me telling me to write were not being stroked properly. A friend of mine asked me to go through a creative meditation process to help uncover my life purpose. As I floated into my past, I watched myself writing for the sheer joy of writing.

I moved on to another scene of a school assignment to write in a journal every day. The words flowed, even if they weren't the most beautiful. I filled journal after journal with tidbits about my friends and documenting what I really thought of my teachers. Putting my pen to the paper was more of a drug than the sweetest candy. My friends took notice when I repeatedly chose writing in my journal over playing with them at recess. They decided it was time to host an "intervention."

Six older girls, all taller and thicker than me, tried to physically separate me from my journal. One snatched it, while the others each grabbed a limb to drag me to where the grass was the greenest, hoping that the beauty of nature would permanently awaken me from my writing trance.

I screamed and scratched at my friends, like I was a desperate mother being separated from her baby. We had previously had a wonderful time bonding at slumber parties and sharing confessions about boys, but at this moment, I was not willing to pull any punches. Their concern for me being a well-rounded individual quickly turned into annoyance and my journal was promptly returned to me.

Many times during that creative meditation that stirred up that memory did I hear the soothing hypnotic voice ask me, "What is it that you liked to do as a kid?" But I had already formulated a better question: "What was I willing to get into a fistfight for because I loved it so much as a kid?" For this peace-loving adult, there was only one answer. I had solved the riddle. I had unlocked the door.

And now here I am, armed with the unshakable truth that writing is the reason why I was put here on this planet, ready to put my money where my mouth is.

I'm so excited to be here on this journey, to be able to meet all of you like-minded individuals, and to have a safe place to practice my craft.

I want to give a big thank you to @hopehuggs for introducing me to this place. I'm hoping it profoundly changes my life.

P.S. If you have any questions, please ask. I can't wait to start making friendships and would appreciate any advice on how to make the most of being here.