Emma Zawacki

Name: Emma Zawacki

Grade: 11

1. What prompted you to start writing?

“The first time I ever wrote anything for fun and genuinely enjoyed it was [in] eighth grade. [Eighth grade English teacher] Dieffenbach gave us a year-long assignment to write a story on whatever we wanted, and she would print them out as a book, and we could keep them. Since then, I haven’t been able to stop. I write when I’m sad, I write when I’m angry, I write when I’m happy; I use it as a way to get my emotions out now.”

2. What is the thing you are most proud of writing—TCT-wise or in your personal life? Why?

“A specific story doesn’t come to mind, but I’m proud of myself for my growth. I think when I first started in Writing For Publication, I was mediocre at best, and as I’ve kept writing and [as] I’ve kept working at getting better, I’ve become really proud of myself for continuing to be creative and continuing to string together eloquent words to form stories that I love and can’t wait for others to read.

3. Do you share your words with others?

“I share a good portion of my words with others, whether it’s through publishing them on this site or just showing my parents a poem I wrote, but I do tend to keep a lot of my more heartfelt writing to myself.”

4. How has writing influenced you?

“Writing has influenced me in a plethora of ways. I’ve always struggled with putting my feelings into words, and ever since I’ve started writing more regularly, I’ve gotten better at articulating what I’m feeling; I’ve learned a lot about my feelings. It’s also become my creative outlet that eases my frustrations.”

5. What is your least favorite word?

“My least favorite word is moist, but I don’t really have a reason to not like it.”