Written by Kathryn Holeton, Brand Designer for Musicians and Writers
Kathryn Holeton is a multi-talented creative with a knack for poetry and lyrics. She is a Brand Designer for Creatives, has collaborated on several musical projects, and is the author of "You're a Deity: An Inspirational Poetry Collection."
How many of you like to read? I know that’s a silly question, especially since you’re already reading this article. Writing is an art that is growing more popular by the day among all ages. People are writing more as a way to express themselves and promote their businesses.
Writing is like a broadcast on a radio or TV; it’s about sharing your thoughts, emotions, fears, and inspirations with everyone who is willing to read. As readers, we want to disappear, escape from our world, and experience someone else’s fantasy for a while. There’s comfort in listening to a song, reading a poem or a book, and knowing that other people feel what you’re feeling is validating.
The art of writing is so profound that it should be acknowledged and actively celebrated in society. It’s a common misconception that writers of any kind are always “starving artists.” However, in the age of the internet, it is easier than ever to earn an income from writing. Writers deserve respect, recognition, and celebration. Without writers, we wouldn’t have music, books, poetry, blogs, articles, or websites.
Without writers, life would be boring, and that is something I would hate to see and experience. I enjoy reading my Webtoons, lol. There are three types of writing that I feel are the most important in society because of their level of emotional expression: fiction, poetry, and songwriting.
On fiction and nonfiction writing
When I was in elementary school, I was bullied by my peers. You know all the classic bullying tactics: gum in the hair, mocking and ridicule, and even being slammed into lockers. My only escape from the bullies was at home (I didn’t have internet, and I had an old-fashioned flip phone) and through a book.
The librarians at my school were slightly shocked at my reading level in 3rd grade. At that age, I was reading 2,000–3,000-page books and could summarize the contents effectively. I think my family was also worried about me, lol. I didn’t have a social life; my life revolved around books. The bigger, more fantastical, and action-packed they were, the better.
If those books and stories didn’t exist, I don’t know how I would’ve dealt with the bullying through school. I’m not saying this to draw pity. Because I read so many books, I easily got a 36 and 37 on the reading and writing sections of the ACT. I’m very happy that I read and wrote as much as I did, and I have 0 regrets. I just wish that kids weren’t so mean. My Chemical Romance said it best, “All teenagers scare me. Maybe they’ll leave you alone, but not me.”
Jokes aside, those fictional stories were the perfect escape from my life at the time. I’m not the only one that looks for an escape through books. As of April 2017, 41% of people read 15 or more books a year, which is a lot of books for an adult to read. The Statistical Portal This number also means that people devour books because they want to find an escape, either by learning something new or falling into a fantasy. Now is the best time to start writing and sharing what you write. People want to read what you have to say.
So, if you’re an aspiring reader or writer, take a moment and celebrate yourself and the writers who wrote your favorite books. Everyone in the creative industries deserves the celebration. Just remember to “Never judge a book by its movie.” J.W Eagen Not all movie adaptations are made equally, but you can’t let that determine the quality of the overall work.
On poetry
“Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought, and the thought has found words.” – Robert Frost
I hated reading and writing poetry until I was in my final year at community college, around the time that Shinedown’s Attention, Attention album came out actually. Highly recommend listening to it if you get the chance, you won’t be disappointed. The album was a big inspiration for me to start writing poetry, mainly because I wanted to write song lyrics. I was taking baby steps in my lyric writing journey.
What I found to be the hardest part of writing poetry was writing it according to structure. For example, a Shakespearean Sonnet, haiku, senryu, and other versions of structured poetry. I learned how to count syllables and how to near rhyme in almost record time. In one college semester, I filled 4 to 5 notebooks, front and back of every page, with poetry. I then transcribed it all onto a flash drive so that I wouldn’t have to search for those poems later for a book or other writing project.
Capturing emotions accurately and in an authentic way took a lot of time and effort, which is why those who have dedicated their entire life and career to writing and mastering the ability to write poetry should be worshipped. (not like a cult, though, that’s weird). Writing structured poetry surprisingly requires a lot of math and counting and placing emphasis on certain words for added effects. Let me tell you, that is not an easy skill to develop.
When I was learning how to write poetry, I had a headache half the time because of all the overthinking I was doing, just trying to make sure that the syllable count and the emphasis were as they should be. You can relate, right lol? Sharing your emotions through poetry is also validating and therapeutic, not just for yourself but for those who read your poetry. Reading and writing anything comes down to wanting to express oneself and be understood by others. Those who can accurately express what they are thinking and feeling in a way that others can understand should be celebrated because of their hard work.
As I mentioned above, it's not easy to write poetry because of multiple reasons. It's because something is hard, and when completed, it should be celebrated. It’s a milestone, an achievement.
On music
Music is a big source of inspiration for me. I physically can’t do any work on a computer without music playing. That’s when most of my ideas flow easily. If I try to work without music, my fingers stop working, my mind goes blank, and suddenly, the birds outside of the window are the most fascinating creatures in existence.
As a famous philosopher once said, “Without music, life would be a mistake.” Friedrich Nietzsche, I’m certain that I’m not the only one who agrees with this quote. Music is a driving force in itself. For those of us who need a different kind of push, music seems to be the catalyst. Music is a big source of inspiration for many creatives, and it serves as a way for people to feel validated in their experiences. Everything humans feel and experience is valid. It is real.
“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.” Plato wrote music like every other piece of writing; it took effort and practice to write music that captivated me. When I first set out, I wrote poetry as much as possible and in any form I could. Unsurprisingly, music is like poetry and fiction and nonfiction. In fact, an argument can be made that music is a combination of poetry and fiction/ nonfiction.
I can’t imagine a world without music. It’s one of the things that is a stress reliever for me. I have a habit of going to my car and metal screaming to any song if I’ve had a rough day, or I listen to my vinyl at home and relax with a nice tall glass of water. Music relaxes and calms, inspires, and drives. Having music in life is one of the things that gives life meaning.
Those who make music should celebrate all their wins over the past year. A lot has happened, specifically in the music industry. With advancements in AI, you can now compose an entire song by entering a prompt. The Architects also announced a new album for next year, and Dorothy dropped a new album. Those who listen to music should take a minute and celebrate themselves and those who made their favorite song, album, or tour. There needs to be more joy in the world.
In closing
As we go into the New Year, it is important to remember to celebrate you, your accomplishments, and your favorite writers. Without their hard work, we wouldn’t have a good fantasy novel to read, a good poem to cry to, or a good song to scream to. Imagine a world without the works of Edgar Allen Poe, The Lord of the Rings, or anime opening music. That would be depressing.
This is a time of celebration but also a time for caution, especially for writers. With the economy being the dumpster fire it is, there’s plenty of inspiration to write about, but writers should focus first on their well-being and survival. Nothing great can come easily from those struggling to survive.
And most importantly, writers should spend this time celebrating how far they’ve come. Your skills are not the same as they were at the beginning of last year. Whatever your writing goals are, and whatever ones you met and didn’t meet, any progress is still a step forward. And this doesn’t just apply to writers. Everyone in all industries, self-employed or employed, should take this time to reflect on their accomplishments and everything they have to be grateful for.
And remember to thank your favorite writers for what they do because, without them, life would be boring.
Read more from Kathryn Holeton
Kathryn Holeton, Brand Designer for Musicians and Writers
My name is Kathryn Holeton. I am a Brand Designer for musicians and writers based in Knoxville, Tennessee. I was a musician and writer for many years but found I had a knack for brand design when I was finishing up my Bachelor's in Professional and Technical Communication.
After I graduated, I worked in several industries, most notably music, poetry, and publishing, which you can read about in "My Creations."
One thing I found consistently lacking was the conversation of having a brand. No one was actively discussing this important step in the creative industries, and it annoyed me.
My mission is to help musicians and writers create a brand that supports their creative practice. Because you deserve to be successful, you deserve to grow. Your work deserves to be heard and seen.
