By J. Faith Malicdem // Nov. 11, 2019
It is my pleasure to introduce Paige, a wonderful being and writer who I’ve fortunately received the opportunity of working with and befriending through school. She is a fellow freshman journalism major who grew up in Sterling, VA! Paige is a light who radiates love, warmth and all things good, and I can’t wait for her to explore her beet in journalistic writing.
What drew you to writing?
First, I’d like to take a second to appreciate the question what drew you to writing. I find that so funny! Anyways, not to sound cocky (I’m not at all), but I’ve always been naturally good at writing. I didn’t realize this until pretty late in the game, but now writing consumes my life. When I don’t know how to make sense of something, I write it down. It’s how I think, really.
What do you typically write about? Do you have a specific style of writing? A specific format?
When not writing about whatever academic subject due next class or something, I find myself caught up in national and international politics, economic and social issues, environmentalism, and general existential crises. So the light stuff.
Style? I’ve been told by teachers that I have a good one, but what that means is beyond me. I would say a mix of conversationalist and stream-of-consciousness; I don’t like heavily formatted, elitist pieces that make someone feel left out of the conversation. But I did just use the word “conversationalism” very casually, so who’s to say. :-)
Do you have any authors/journalists/poets/writers of any kind who you look up to? Have they heavily influenced your work? In what way?
I LOVE George Orwell. Literally he’s all that I aspire to in my writing. His use of allegories as democratic socialist political statements and commentary on social movements is genius. I can talk about him all day, to be honest. But I’ll spare you from my long rants. Instead, I’m trying to live by a commandment he states in Politics and the English Language: “Never use a long word where a short one will do.” It’s been a struggle for me.
Do you see a future for yourself in writing? If so, in what way(s)? If not, what are your general life aspirations?
I hope I see a future in writing: I’m studying to be a journalist. What I aspire to do with journalism changes by the day with each new person I meet, each new idea they bring. I recently had a professor stress the importance of social justice reporting — reporting on the misrepresented communities instead of repeating the same elitist, powerful voices of politicians and billionaires. I’ve never been more inspired. So that’s my current fascination that I hope will evolve into a career involving something with the environment or international political systems. Any way my life works out, It’ll work out.
Which tends to take reign in your writing: your brain or your heart? (do you tend to write more with emotion or intellect?)
I would love to say I write with solely intellect, but emotion does sneak in. I’m working on harnessing my inherent “brain” writing — my family is naturally very logical and sound, oddly enough. That is not to diminish emotional writing: stories with no emotion are not only boring, but inhumane. You can’t solely report on the murder of thousands of Syrian civilians without intergecting your “emotions,” what I’d argue as humanity. Marie Colvin, another one of my reporter ideals, did this when she was a war correspondent, setting herself apart from the detached western media of “just the objective facts.” Objectivity is relative, and emotion isn’t bias. Emotion is necessary.
How is your writing set apart from others?
Well, I wouldn’t say anything separates my writing from others. Bummer, I know. But I guess my work ethic is the difference: whatever I publish encapsulates my beliefs to a T, and it has to be perfect.
What do you hope to contribute to Pie Face?
I just hope someone enjoys my writing! I don’t expect it to change perspectives or lives. But if someone reads my writing and walks away thinking not too bad, I did something right. We’ll see what my future at Pie Face will bring, but thank you so much for the opportunity to be on the team!
You can find her on Instagram at @paige_thimmesch! Stay tuned to hear more from her :’)
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