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Writing. My writing is a big deal. Even when I don’t write, writing is always at the foreground of my mind. Writing is how I deal with myself. It is how I plan. It is how I do, pretty much everything. Writing is my life.

Feeling the hard plastic of my pen against my ring finger and thumb, held in place by pointer and middle finger. Watching the words form on the page. Feeling the paper beneath the wrist of my right hand. The sound of my hand as it slides across the page like a typewriter spool, slowly as I write, moving quickly between spaces, then sliding quickly to the next line. I write by hand. Everything written by hand. Computers and laptops are for editing. There is something visceral about writing by hand.

Writing is a big deal because it is the medium I use to interpret the world. It helps me see what is happening within my mind. I try hard not to fall for outside interpretations. This is partially the reason why my social media presence is nil. I’m still a little old school when it comes to social media. I prefer in-person interactions, where I can read body language and facial expressions. However, in this new millenia how can a writer survive without a following?

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Reading. Reading is a big deal. When I am sitting idle and not thinking of writing, reading pulls up and waves. “Hey!! Here I am!” I love to read. I love to experience life through the perspective of another. It breeds empathy. I read across genres and have a reason for reading each.

Fantasy is for escape. Romance is for hope. Horror is for reality because our current situation in the United States is a horror story. Nonfiction, biography and memoir are to learn. YA is for a connection with my inner child, who had time to read. Poetry is to feel, to imagine. I read a lot of poetry.

Reading is soothing. Bookstores are soothing. Physical books make me slow down. They allow me to relax. I always fall asleep while reading. Hectic days fade away once I sit down to read. Reading calms my spirit in such a delicious way. Reading is free from judgement. Reading is a safe space. It pushes away the worries of the world and opens a portal for escape. Reading takes you on the highs and lows of a journey; a journey worth taking.

Reading and writing are a big deal in my life. I cannot have one without the other. They are a dynamic duo. I cannot see my life without either, both give me life.

Are you a writer? How does writing make you feel? Do you write by hand? Do you enjoy reading as much as I do? Do you like physical books? Ebooks? Audiobooks? How does reading make you feel? Do you see the genres as I do? Do you have a reason for your reading choices? Let me know in the comments.