I would tell people that I was writer. I just did it. In my David Jones job folding t-shirts I would say – “I work here, but actually I’m a writer.” And then I started getting published!
The following People of Purpose interview is a unique one. It was recorded at a live Q&A event with poet Emmie Rae, titled A Writer’s Life.
This event was dreamt up to get more people writing. I know many good writers and people who love to write, but it either seems to fall away as they get busy with other things, or they use it for a specific role – like copywriting in advertising or branding. But what role does writing have to play beyond this? On my own journey of rediscovering creativity, I started to recognise the parallels between meditation, yoga and writing, and I became really interested in what writing can offer us as a discipline.
Plus – I also became suspicious of the starving artist myth, and began to wonder if being a writer really is a feasible career path (my own inner critic coming out there!). I’m also really interested in fostering community, and love the idea of bringing a writer’s circle (of sorts) together.
The full recording includes the Q&A – as well as the following discussion. I kept parts of the conversation in the interview, as new insights emerged as members of the group chimed in. Feel free to listen to the whole thing or simply cut it off as the event wraps up (around the 20 minute mark).
Emmie Rae is a published author and poet and is behind the popular Instagram account, Squashed Mochi (and daily writing project of the same name). For more info on Emmie’s work and Squashed Mochi, visit emmierae.com and her latest book collaboration with Shirley Cai titled Safe Place.
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