My name is Alyssa! I’m a bit of a tech nerd; I spent a lot of my time in college studying computer science, but I’ve pivoted to focus on English. Language is the foundation on which we build our understanding of the world and each other, allowing us to communicate ideas to the world and exposing our nature so that it can be seen by the universe. I enjoy reading fiction, especially when it involves dragons, magic, or space travel, but I’m also planning to write my own books with those themes!
I’m also competent programmer, with a strong understanding of computer systems; I’ve been running servers for a variety of things since I was in middle school, from forums to massively multiplayer online games. I’ve spent a lot of time reading and understanding documentation for all the software involved in these pursuits. I’ve watched so many open source projects come and go; it’s amazing how much work goes into making the world of technology around us possible, and how much of it is built on effort that goes largely unrewarded. It’s a massively complicated ecosystem built on layers upon layers of automation and abstraction that constantly amaze me by their functionality, which exists in spite of the difficulty involved in making the individual parts work.
Language and philosophy are core to my writing; these are some of the most important parts of the foundation of our perception and understanding of the world. Some writers contend that our language constrains our ability to think, that if we can’t express an idea in the words available to use it’s not even possible to think about; it’s curious to note that, in spite of that, language presents us with a field of infinite possibility. We can express so much, and so vividly, what could possibly lie beyond the horizon? From a mathematical angle, it’s possible to recognize that infinity is only endless, rather than all-encompassing; we can talk about, even reason about, greater things. While I don’t intend such a grand undertaking as proving that language doesn’t limit our ability to imagine, it’s well within my power to expand the limits of what is possible.
There’s a tendency to categorize fiction into two bins: Literary and genre. I won’t be the first to challenge the idea, and I won’t be the last, but I firmly believe that this distinction isn’t useful. I might be writing about dragons, magic, and life on other planets, but to imply that categorically makes it any less significant from a literary perspective is a mistake. We are all influenced by our context; history, geography, philosophy, current events, relationships, and more all have a profound effect on us, and in turn, what we write. We are inextricably linked to the world and people around us.
I hope to expand peoples’ horizons. I want to imagine bigger, wider worlds, and share them. I want to introduce people to new ways of thinking. I want to challenge the boundaries of genres, and bring something unexpected to light. These are extreme aspirations; I am, in the end, repeating ideas that have been around since the beginning of writing. Perhaps, though, I can present them in a new form, and encourage an optimistic view of the future that helps people to look forward eagerly. I think that’s something we, as a society, could use. I can’t say with any certainty that I’ll succeed, but I’ll never know if I don’t try. If I fail, well, at least I’ll have the story, and I can claim it as my own. At the end of the day I’m writing about things I love and things that fascinate me, and if that’s all the value there is to be had, that’s okay too.
Introduction to creative writing has been a thoroughly enjoyable class, and I appreciate having taken it; it was certainly a highlight for the semester. I’ve learned a lot, and had some lovely experiences with my peers and instructor. I especially appreciate the broadening of my experience that came from the readings; there’s a wide world of creative writing out there which is easy to miss if you’re not looking in the right places. The importance of having read a diverse selection of texts is hard to understate; it’s possible to innovate without this, but it’s much easier when you see the unexpected ways that other authors approach writing. I’d have never thought of a poem structured as a translation table, and the genre of creative non-fiction is an important lens which allows for surprising views of familiar topics.
It’s hard to put into words the collection of tools this class provides. Poetry defies being boxed in, but there’s a lot to be said for recognizing that such a boundary is elusive; a poem isn’t just text on a line, but the formatting, styling, and location of the work as a whole are meaningful. Fiction has a more well-defined base, but it too can be a flexible and unpredictable genre. Creative non-fiction is also difficult to draw lines around, as the conventions and basic features are loosely defined. I still see myself focusing on fiction as my main area of interest, but I can see places for my writing under each umbrella.