For about five years (since I graduated college) I’ve been toying with the idea of a blog. I majored in English and minored in Creative Writing, so yeah, a blog would make sense. Hell, it would have made sense nine years ago when I started college. Many things stopped me from doing the blog thing. What would I write? What subject would I focus on (because I feel like a blog should have a specific focus)? What if I didn’t post very often? What if no one ever reads it? What if people read it and hate it?
And then Go Set A Watchman happened.
I work in a bookstore, so I feel like I had a ringside seat to the anticipation of the newly-discovered Harper Lee novel. I was one of the most excited booksellers at my particular store, so I talked up the pre-orders, I moderated a book-to-movie discussion for To Kill A Mockingbird, I read a chapter and a half at our To Kill A Mockingbird Read-A-Thon the day before Go Set A Watchman came out. And then it came out, and huge, complicated feelings abounded. I had trouble formulating a succinct response whenever I was asked my opinions. The idea of the blog came back again, if only to have a longer-form place to unload all of my thoughts. I almost feel like that post will be where I peak, because it’s a unique, singular piece of work, and it left me with a unique, singular impression. But I’m getting ahead of myself. This is just about introductions.
Like I said, I work at a bookstore. There are things I really love about it (being able to recommend books to others, my awesome fellow book-nerd coworkers) and a few annoyances (people who leave stacks of books just lying on the ground—Was my mom the only one who taught her kid to put things back where she found them?). I’ve always loved books; they were never “those things we have to read in school,” but a third entertainment option, alongside movies and television. I think I’ve always harbored the dream of being a writer, too. My dad had an old typewriter in our basement when I was young, and I remember tapping away on the keys, the ribbon long gone and no paper to speak of, just enjoying the rhythmic sound of the metal keys slapping against the paper guard.
I also love music, television, and movies. While I think books are going to be the main focus of this blog, I don’t want to hem myself in, so you can expect a few posts about those three subjects as well (especially if I find a new, exciting way to say I love Gilmore girls it’s the best show in the world that hasn’t already been expressed by thousands of people because it is the best damn show in the world).
I’m bad at titling things. But I called this blog For The Stories because I think they’re some of the most important things in the world. Everyone has a story, and even shared stories are viewed through different perspectives. Stories comforted us when we were small. Stories are how we communicate our personalities to others. Stories can help bridge the gaps between different people. Fiction, nonfiction, fantastical, uplifting, comedic, sad, frustrating, told through songs, legends, performance, on canvases and the printed page—the world is built on stories. I started this blog because I want to share my thoughts on other peoples’ stories—and maybe share some of my own.
For The Stories 