Williams 1

Claiborne Williams
Hamby
UWRT 1101-028
10 September 2014

Writing
Ive always found reading and writing to be valuable skills. Without writers there would
be no readers. Without readers the appreciation that writers feel would be lost. I consider myself
a writer and I always have known that ever since I was a kid. From the moment I could hold a
pen or pencil and draw scribbles on paper, that at the time to me resembled the worlds next best
thing, I loved the feel of writing. The power to arrange and choose words, combining them with
alliteration and rhythm to my work made me and still make me feel like something greater than I
am. Now that Ive got you right where I want you reader, Ill take you on a brief
autobiographical stint.
I hated reading as a kid. Growing up and knowing that I had to read something for my
classes really sucked. I wanted and dreamed that the roles could be reversed and my classmates
could read my stuff instead of someone elses. Even if it was a topic that I had no idea what it
was, I wanted to research it and filter through my diction to create a new, easier perspective for
my friends. I guess you could say the ambition of becoming a writer was born there. As I grew
up, I didnt read much. Only things that peaked my interest to the highest possible degree.
All I really wanted was to write good stuff that people would enjoy. The books, articles,
and blogs that I did read were intriguing and I wanted that for myself as a writer. I wanted to be
the writer that people read and were intrigued by. I then had to ponder the question What could

Williams 2

I write that appeals to a mass market of people? It was a little frustrating at the time. Its like
when you want a new idea but the creativity doesnt flow that well. Then while driving down
interstate forty heading back from Raleigh it hit me while listening to the car radio. Literally the
golden idea was directly in front of my face and I came to the fantastic conclusion that music
was the way to go. Songs are perfect. Everyone loves a good song and I figured the way I could
reach the largest audience as possible was to just become a songwriter. It felt right to me and
thats all that matters. Somehow writing songs connected on a deeper creative level than I had
ever thought and it was a good feeling to know that my writing career didnt end at just writing
non-fiction pieces. May I remind you reader that songwriting was something Id never done
before and had no idea how to. However without hesitation I embarked on my next mission as a
writer.
As I built my diction to a soaring pace from articles and journals, I dove deep and
discovered poetry and songwriting. For the first time in my life around age eleven, I stepped into
an artistic form of writing. I found that poetry and songs were works I could read easily. They all
had rhythm and I could understand them better. It really helped take my writing to the next level.
Im sure I excelled in that matter due to the fact I was reading more. Its like an athlete that eats
healthier. Whatever he or she eats is going to affect their performance in the game. Thats how
reading and writing interact with each other fluently. I was reading really amazing writing.
Therefore, I was inspired to write amazing work too. I wasnt convinced that reading a novel or
two when I was younger it would further my writing. Yet, reading poetry and writing from an
array of artists actually did progress my penmanship.
As I walked down my path of becoming a writer I still was discovering what exactly I
wanted to write about. I always appreciated non-fiction yet that wasnt where the money was at. I

Williams 3

watched a Vampire Weekend concert when I was learning how to play guitar in 2008 I thought
to myself, I could do that. It was something about the stage lights, the crowd, the loud
cheering, the attention that those guys received from everyone in the audience, and the
appreciation they all received for their work. With a strong motivation and ambition to be those
guys, I taught myself guitar with the sole intention of writing songs like I had when I first
decided to go down this road. I formed my band, On The Record, in early 2009 and we quickly
rose up in the local music scene.
Running a band and writing songs was an exhausting gig at first. We were a new band
and no one knew about us. We had to gain some speed and get our art out there. That is why
from 2009 to present day no one could separate me from my guitar and my songbook. That was
my life and my passion, still is. Through lots of hard work, promotion, and many songs written
by 2013 we were touring North Carolina. Our musicianship and live show was stellar and one
not to miss. NBC17.com of Raleigh placed us in their Top 10 Raleigh/Durhams Best Live
Bands category. Dont get me wrong I was ecstatic about that. However, I was also placed into
a Chapel Hill music blog as 2013s Songwriter To Watch. That meant more to me as writer
than anything. The fact I was being recognized and awarded for my writing was exhilarating to
me.
I finally felt as though my writing had taken me somewhere. On The Record lasted five
years. For our last two, we were on top of the triangle music scene. Then we slowly dissolved
and went our separate ways, on to bigger and better things. Since On The Record ended, I needed
to spend my time writing. Sure I could live in the memories of On The Record but I didnt want
to do that.

Williams 4

I wanted to make more memories and grow as a writer. I subscribed to the New York
Times online. I now read the New York Times at every breakfast and ponder ideas. My latest
idea is a blog. Im not quite sure if blogs are still prevalent in todays society with everything
being 140 characters or less yet I would like to expand and broaden my horizon. Songwriting
is always a part of my life. Now-a-days Ill play coffee shops and small venues by myself just for
the fun of it and to keep me writing. The blog start up idea is what my next mission is.
I plan to write about everything that interests me. Whatever is on my mind, Ill write
about it. The interesting part is that somewhere else in the world someone will be reading my
work and either disagreeing or agreeing with what Im saying. Whether it be a new rule that the
National Hockey League is implying this year, what I like in my omelets, or just some plain ol
poetry, I like the fact that readers will be debating with themselves over my writing. I like the
fact that somewhere somebody is pondering why I write what I write and how they feel about it.
In the grand picture of it all, we are just here to make each others gears turn. The purpose of life
in the sense of reading and writing is to challenge each other to reassure or develop our own
thoughts. Thats how its been done for thousands of years as long as weve had the ability to
communicate through language.
Reading and writing have highly impacted my life over the past eighteen years. Over the
time Ive spent creating and appreciating works of literature, Ive came to the conclusion that
they all interact on a fluent level. Without great authors and writers there would be no readers
who respect their work. On the flip side of the page, without readers the writers would have no
point to write besides developing pieces just for the sake of writing. As a kid I progressed from
hating reading and being quite envious of authors to realizing that its important for me as an
upcoming writer to read. I sure didnt want to believe it at first but my writing grew a lot. The

Williams 5

epiphany I had while listening to music lead me to become a songwriter. After diving deep into
the artistic side of things with poetry and lyrical songwriting, I became inspired and found a new
love for reading. Like Ive stated previously, they are intertwined with one another. My
songwriting quickly excelled and my band and I became a force around the triangle of North
Carolina. As we progressed, my writing did as well. I learned how to write and better ways to
read. All in all, they are both very important and valuable skills. I dont think there is a correct
way of pursuing something you love like writing. However in my case, I feel as though I did it
the write way.