“The reason one writes isn’t the fact he wants to say something. He writes because he has something to say.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald
I suppose many avid readers fantasize about being writers. The power a writer holds – to create a world on paper, to hold a reader’s rapt attention, and to capture life in vivid colour- has always been seductive for me. Although writing is not always easy, I seem to keep coming back to it. I suppose it is because the act of writing is itself meditative: writing helps me to focus, reflect and be more present in the world.
I have been blessed with wonderful teachers throughout my life, individuals who have challenged me, encouraged me, and helped me to better craft my words in order to create an impact on my audience. While I have seized some opportunities to share my writing with others, and have often considered writing professionally, it is only quite recently that I have taken a leap of faith and begun to seek opportunities to work as a “real” writer.
As a university student at Dalhousie, I contributed several articles to the Dalhousie Gazette. A highlight of this experience was interviewing the musician K’Naan, years before “Waving Flag” became the World Cup anthem. That interview and other articles can be found in my Writing Portfolio.
I have been fortunate to have had many opportunities to travel, and have twice lived abroad, for a year in South Korea and two years in Ecuador. Along the way I have documented my experiences through journaling and maintained blogs to share my experiences while living abroad. These blogs can be found at http://libbyanddaniel.blogspot.com/ While living in Korea I also published articles in Daejeon Access, an informative newsletter for foreigners living in South Korea. In Ecuador I wrote articles on a freelance basis for Viva Travel Guides in collaboration with the Quito Ministry of Tourism. In my role as a high school teacher I have also created extensive teaching resources to support my lessons; I also built Light a Fire , a simple website listing and evaluating useful resources for English teachers.
After teaching full-time for two years in an Ecuadorian international school, I decided to put teaching aside and pursue my interest in writing and communications full-time. A great job opportunity for my partner, Dan, in Flin Flon, Manitoba, provided the perfect opportunity for me to take my dream of working as a freelance writer and make it a reality. I am enjoying the process so far.
Thank you for visiting my website. If you have any questions or comments, please drop me a line at libbylavelle@gmail.com
libby stoker- lavelle 