Self-Education and Euro Writing

My interest in writing began at a young age and continued into my college years, during which my first novel was published by Crescent Moon Press. In this time I also joined the women's fraternity Zeta Tau Alpha and took on various responsibilities for my chapter. Teaching other young woman about an organization I love was a huge challenge but incredibly worthwhile. Seeing my students contribute to our philanthropy and impressive reputation on campus was a huge source of pride. The more I learned of ZTA's history, the happier I was for choosing such a hardworking group of women. Though all of this work required a good sense of time management, I was also able to work as a freelance writer to supplement my income and fund various travel opportunities. Some of my favorite hobbies include writing, reading, gaming, and crafting. I strongly believe that self-care is critical to success in any career and can help alleviate stress during difficult times.

My journey through college surprised me more than once in four years. I switched my major as an undergraduate, which means I was able to take many different courses across many disciplines and still graduate on time. I was part of the honor program in addition to taking classes in nutrition and dietetics, chemistry, English, copyediting, art history, sociology and psychology (really any humanities focus). I was assigned the role of contributing editor for Mansfield University's branch of The Odyssey Online, and therefore was responsible for managing a group of writers as well as writing my own content every week. I interned for Clean Reads Publishing, where I assessed manuscript submissions and wrote editing letters according to company guidelines. I was also responsible for audio book editing and scheduling book tours for numerous authors.

I was fortunate enough to visit all over Europe and moved to Scotland last year to pursue a graduate degree with Edinburgh Napier University's MA in Creative Writing Program. While there, I worked with experienced mentors and submerged myself in the literary culture of Edinburgh. I attended an exclusive book launch, heard some of my favorite authors speak, and met even more of my favorite authors in the classroom. I took classes in self-publishing, graphic fiction, first person narrative, and genre fiction. I learned how to develop concepts and make my ideas unique through linguistic innovation. The directors of this wonderful program didn't just want to teach their students how to write, they wanted them to have careers in the field they loved.

All of this experience in addition to writing-focused courses has made me an excellent research writer. Traveling in and of itself encourages a broader worldview and perspective of other people. This irreversibly changed my approach to writing. The writing program in Scotland focused heavily on purpose and its importance in fiction, but I've been able to apply this to research projects as well to create well-rounded work. I learned how to analyze and critique at a deeper level than I ever thought possible, bringing depth and richness to my assignments. I widened my pool of source materials and worked on projects with partners from all over the world. Mentors of various disciplines critiqued my work and forced me to view it from angles I could have never considered before, increasing both my skill and confidence levels in only one year. I take immense pride in my problem-solving skills and enjoy editing a piece until it is as strong as it can be. All of this in conjunction with my love of learning allows me to be a dependable research writer of quality.