Originality by Design: Writing Therapy ~ by Beth Worsdell

Writing Therapy ~ by Beth Worsdell

At a very young age, I fell in love with words and began to write poetry. It was a great way for me to pour out my emotions, and process everything that I didn’t understand, such as my parents’ divorce and a new life in a different city.

I also fell in love with books, which fueled my imagination and made my poetry more creative. Before long, I was writing poems for family members and special occasions, and I realized that words held power. Power to touch people's hearts, make them realize how special they are, and also give people comfort. As much as my writing was therapy for me, my writing was benefiting others too.

When my kids and I were T-boned by a truck in 2007 and I was left permanently injured, I turned to my poetry writing as a way to cope with the physical pain I was in. It was a wonderful distraction from my pain, a way to express my feelings and frustrations. It was a huge transitional phase for me. I was no longer the person I used to be, and I had to come to terms with the new me, with new physical limitations. What I didn’t expect, was my poetry evolving into songwriting.

As I sat at my kitchen table, trying to write a poem about two little girls, who had recently been murdered by a school janitor, I thought about the loss of these innocent children. I poured my words onto the paper before me. My words began to flow, but also a melody started to form in my mind. I was shocked, as I never even thought of trying to write songs, even though I was just as passionate about music.

I decided to go with it and find out where it would lead. Within a couple of hours, I had written my first song. Not being able to read or write music, I had to rely on my limited singing skills, to share my song with my husband and kids. When they actually loved my song, I was keen to see if I could write another. Before long I had written over ten songs, all about life, love, and the shenanigans in between.

It honestly felt like a natural progression. In my mind, I was still writing poetry, but now my poems were musical. I loved the flow of the songs and the way my words could be sung in so many ways. Some were ballads, while others were upbeat and would make you feel like dancing. While recovering from my accident over many years, my songwriting was not only a comfort to me, but it was a wonderful form of expressing my life changes. Being able to still do some of the things I enjoyed, pulled me out of the grief phase of my recovery.

Then in 2017 my writing took another turn.

I don’t usually remember my dreams, as I sleep like a log. However, one night I had the weirdest dream, that was so vivid, I told those close to me about it. I joked that it would make an epic movie like Avatar. The dream wouldn’t leave my thoughts and would pop into my mind on a regular basis.

After nearly three years, I finally decided I should write it down. Before I knew it, I had written three chapters and the story was continuously forming in my mind. After sharing those first chapters with my mum and sisters, and getting such a positive response, I decided to continue and Earth’s Angels was created.

It never ceases to amaze me, that we have so much creativity within us. Plus, the fact that our writing craft can evolve in ways we never thought possible. As a woman in her forties, who’s a mother of four, with chronic regional pain syndrome, I never thought I could be a published author. I’m thrilled that I can be an example of the expression “it’s never too late”.

I have now published two highly rated books, and I am working on

the third of my Sci-fi fantasy Trilogy.

While writing and promoting my own books, I have also been interviewing other authors. This has been such an amazing experience. The authors I interview are all at various stages in their careers, and it’s wonderful to share their publishing journeys with other writers. So far, I have interviewed authors young and old, from fantasy to poetry, and they all have wonderful life stories to tell.

I honestly believe that we all have a story to tell, whether it's told in poetry form, a song or a novel. There are no limits for writing and I still love to write poetry, songs and books. You are never too young or too old, and it is never too late.

Beth Worsdell

Beth and her husband Ian have been happily married for over 20 years, spending most of their married life in Portsmouth, England. When Beth and her husband had the opportunity to move to America in 2011, they jumped at the chance. After five wonderful years of living in South Carolina, they now reside in California. You may connect with Beth at the links listed below.