Some people are meant to share too much. These people are the creative innovators of our world who risk their intelligence to shift the ideology of generations by simply owning their craft and artistic point of view. These story tellers should be encouraged and appreciated by all because it’s their vivid imaginations that create compositions that ultimately change the world.
Encourage a Young Writer Day is observed annually on April 10. It is a day when we recognize the young dreamers of our country and motivate them to share their ideas and develop their writing skills so that they can pursue their goals of leaving their mark on history.
Writing is a skill that transcends environments. It’s a skill that is appreciated in work, school, home, and social settings. Though video technology continues to expand, there is still a growing need for skilled writers in many facets of life. These skills can bolster creativity and confidence and create something so timelessly romantic for the reader that you just can’t get in the digital universe. They make the senses come alive when you hear the crackle of the pages of a newspaper as you unfold it over a morning cup of coffee or the anticipation you feel when an unexplored book brings you to the next chapter.
21-year-old aspiring young Journalist, Blake Williams, is an old soul who is deeply rooted in life’s simple, nostalgic pleasures, such as those that can only be provided through physical print.
Raised in Norristown by his grandparents, Scotty and Valerie Hall, Williams was a 2020 Swainsboro High School Honor Graduate who represented his class on the Citizens Bank Student Advisory Board as well as student council and earned his CTAE Pathway for Engineering and Technology, and received TSA Honors and the Alton Slawson, Jr. Memorial Scholorship, all before going on to receive his associate degree in liberal arts from East Georgia State College in 2022.
It was during his first years as a college student that he expanded his love for illustration and broadcasting, by propelling himself on a journey that he originally never envisioned but welcomed with open arms.
“I was never into writing growing up, but I liked to draw little comic books in my free time.” explained Williams, “I co-hosted the news team in high school and in college, which led to one of my professors informing me that there was an opening at one of the local newspapers and I should look into it.”
After applying for the job and not hearing back, Williams shrugged it off as fate would have it, but by happenstance a better opportunity emerged.
“About a week later I went to the Blade just to work on an assignment with a friend and somehow walked out of there with a job and a free dinner. That was the moment that I began putting forth an effort in this newfound calling and writing to the best of my ability.” said Williams.
Initially, Williams plans were to graduate with a master’s degree in education, but the instant he put himself in a newsroom those plans were altered with the realty that maybe he was meant for something else.
“After graduating from East Georgia State College with some courses in Education, I transferred to Georgia Southern. I was still working for the Blade at the time and really enjoyed it, so, I made a choice to change my major to Multimedia Journalism so that I could pursue that further.” He explained.
Today, Williams is a journalist for Georgia Southern University’s, George-Anne Media Group where he oversees campus events, crimes, and documents student life through human-interest stories.
“I really like that this career gives me the ability to interact with the public, meet new people and share their stories. Writing is an easy way to express yourself and share your thoughts and opinions. If you ever think you have something worth reading, submit it to the paper or a magazine. It will benefit all involved.” He said.
Following the 2024 spring semester, Williams’s intent is to complete his degree at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. Grady has been responsible for molding the minds of iconic alumni including Pulitzer Prize winning journalists, Emmy Award winning producers and reporters and company CEOs. While living in Athens, Williams hopes to land a multimedia position at the Athens Banner-Herald, a satellite media outlet of renowned news broadcasting company, USA-Today.
Although Williams never envisioned himself as a journalist, others noticed his inarticulate personality as well as his natural ability of storytelling as a child and teen and it was through their encouragement that he followed this career path and is now on his way to playing an important role in society by becoming a voice for the voiceless.
“I’m so grateful for having the support from my grandparents to pursue this version of myself and also to the staff and management at the Blade for taking a chance on me as well as establishing the inspiration to pursue it further.” Williams said with a smile before concluding with a insightful message for other young, writers, “If you’re going to write something, make sure you are writing intentionally from the heart. You can tell the difference between something written with heart and words that are just on a page.”
