Featured: February 8, 2024
- Who are your influences?
Truth be told I will always be more of a movie guy than a book guy. Peter Jackson, Ryan Coogler, & Christopher Nolan are among my major inspirations from that medium, as I love how they intricately weave moral themes within the visuals and action sequences of their films. Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games series stands out as one of the early stories that got me to think about writing on a deeper level. The characterizations and social commentary from Collins’ trilogy stood out to me from a young age, and have resonated with me ever since. Ed Brubaker’s Winter Soldier, & Death of Captain America comics also had a profound influence as they taught me that non traditional forms of media can be just as impactful as a regular novel.
- Describe your artistic style.
My style relies very heavily on pathos appeals, placing my focus primarily on what emotion I want my writing to convey. From there it’s simply a matter of finding the words and details that will best accentuate that emotion. I would also say that my love for film has given me a bit of a dramatic flair, which I often showcase in my writing.
- In your free time, what do you like to do?
The simple and honest answer is nothing productive at all. I enjoy spending time with loved ones, doing whatever spontaneous and stupid shenanigans pop into our heads at any given time. I am quite active and enjoy boxing and hitting the gym, but I do also have my fair share of lazy days where I immerse myself in a good movie or video game.
- What advice would you give aspiring artists?
Write what feels right for you & tell the story that you want to tell. Don’t let someone else convince you that your story or your style has no worth, for in a world with billions of people there is room for everyone to share whatever stories they please, however they please. I know in a university setting especially it can be easy to feel like you’ve lost your creative spark amidst all the essays and citations. Speaking from experience you can find your spark again, and it only makes it all the more liberating when you are able to write something without your first thought being “oh no am I supposed to do this in APA or MLA format?” I'd also strongly encourage people to use writing as a way to take care of mental health, as I find it allows you to let things out in a way that spoken word can't.