Breathe in. Breathe out. Letting her thoughts bleed onto the page, she tries to form her emotions into words. Once her poem reflects the message she is trying to get through, Lin gets ready to click post. With writing as a new found distraction, Lin prepares herself to share her newest poem.
“2020 was not a good year for me so I needed that sort of distraction to keep me busy from the crazy,” Lin said. “Writing poetry or writing in general has always been a way for me to express my emotions in a way that talking couldn’t.”
Lin writes poetry as an outlet, helping overcome any difficulties she may have faced throughout the day or as a form of self-reflection.
“It’s definitely been emotional,” Lin said. “Although most of the poetry isn’t about me and rather what I see on a day to day basis; the ones that are definitely bring out parts of me I always kept closed off and feelings I try not to show.”
As inspiration, Lin turns to people and observes everyday experiences so her audience can connect with her writing.
“Whenever I see something or hear something that grabs my attention, I’ll turn it into a poem, writing it from all different sides, until I’m satisfied,” Lin said. “I started writing because I wanted something that people could relate to. Writing has been able to help me connect with my peers.”
With poetry taking up a majority of her day, Lin is also making time to work on a book she is hoping to finish in the near future.
”Currently I’m working on my book in the Y.A. fantasy genre and it’ll be a six to seven year process and adventure to escape too,” Lin said.
Writing is not always easy and Lin finds herself confused with the specific topic she chooses, such as past relationships and love.
“I have had to overcome challenges in writing, not so much in my poetry, but in my book that I’m writing,” Lin said. “I think being able to write so easily came from reading countless books my whole life. It’s easy for me to write on topics I can relate to.”
Posting on social media has given Lin support and opportunities to connect with her peers.
”The feedback has been really great. I’ve had a lot of people talk to me telling me how they relate to it, asking when the book will be coming and how I inspired them to write more,” Lin said “I don’t focus on direct things that happen in my life, but more on things everyone can relate to and experience. My family doesn’t read much of it but they’re still supportive.”
