• Dasia Zanders

It's Real Personal.

Writing has always been the first outlet I've used to express myself before any other method. The current story I'm drafting has made me go through a personal journey that I wasn't sure I wanted to open up about. It's strange because I know what parts of a story are actually parts of my life and who I am as a person, but my readers don't really know what is me and what is made to move the plot along. Writing is far more personal than some people want to acknowledge and I would be lying if I said I didn't spend some nights pacing with anxiety when I realize that what I'm writing is planned to be out there for everyone to read. Sometimes I want to keep certain stories to myself or when I'm answering interview questions or speaking with people I see out in public, I don't want to admit to them which character I feel the closest to in my recent novel or which ones are closer to my life experiences than others, but the truth is all of them carry parts of me. I was thinking about if it's fair to keep so much of who I am both open and private at the same time; is it possible to have both vulnerability and privacy? If anyone reading this goes to my Tumblr link it's basically like going into parts of my daily mind, that was the whole point of running two websites. On here you are given the opportunity to travel through my mind as a young writer while I continue to grow and discuss my different novels and their characters. On my Tumblr you are meeting the personal aspects of me as Dasia Zanders a person not a young author. I realize that because of this I have put myself out there for anyone to try to get to know and in a lot of ways I am comfortable with this arrangement so long as it remains safe and people continue to respect the few times I am not willing to share too much about my life. I am truly excited to see new followers and get occasional messages filled with curiosity and kind words. I hope I can build up a safe community space that allows me to encourage others to follow their dreams and become the person they want to be with a happy, loving, and proud mindset. Each day that I pick up my pen or log into my computer I am writing parts of myself that eventually get out to the entire world to view and it is my sincere goal that whenever you read something I've written you find a little bit of yourself in it. I want you to be able to read my novels and leave with new creative ideas to apply to your personal life and help motivate you to achieve whatever you have your heart set on. Yes, writing is personal and it can leave a person emotionally and mentally drained but for me it has always been worth it because later on it serves a purpose far beyond myself.