‘It was only when I could write just for the sake of writing, that I began to feel better.’
No one in Georgia Northall’s family was surprised when she told them she wanted to study creative writing at university. She grew up in a family of readers and always had an affinity for what she describes as ‘anything I can get creative with’. It seemed a natural progression.
It was a surprise, however, when Georgia found herself at the end of her degree feeling disillusioned. Georgia explains: ‘Being in an institution that pushed for particular styles of writing, particular word counts, and particular scenarios that interchanged each week, meant that I never had the time to write for myself’. While this was bearable at first, the effects crept up on her. ‘The process of writing began to make me feel claustrophobic in a way I could never have imagined. Writing was no longer a way of unwinding or letting go, it was an end goal that was always out of reach, a blank page that I could never fill, and an activity that left me with more worries than words.’
It wasn’t until she completed her studies and was able to step back that she began to rediscover that sense of inspiration and joy which initially drew her to the craft. ‘I realised that writing without limits, without expectations and constraints, could heal the burnout I had unknowingly acquired,’ Georgia reveals.
It was only when I could write just for the sake of writing, that I began to feel better.
Earlier this year, Georgia began an exciting new role as marketing lead at WriteWell and also working with parent company Professional Writing Academy. The job felt the perfect fit for her, as it combines her interest in wellbeing and mental health with her love of writing in all forms. It also fell precisely into her area of expertise, with her degree in creative writing and certification in digital marketing. She manages the social media accounts, marketing and content plus is involved with some elements of design and website maintenance.
She loves the opportunities the platform provides for connecting with other people. ‘Seeing real progress in the community is the most exciting element for me. Being able to see people come out of their shells and their personal growth both within themselves and with others is one of the many things that sets WriteWell apart from the rest.’
In terms of her own writing habits, Georgia finds she does her best work late at night. ‘It’s a bad habit I picked up in university but now I can appreciate why I love it so much,’ she says. ‘It’s so silent and there’s so much potential in the dark. I’ll write and I’ll write until I’m out of words, fall asleep, wake up, read it back to myself, delete half of it, and rinse and repeat.’
There’s something very calming about writing and the state of mind that it puts me in. It’s the perfect evening wind-down.
For her, the writing is often about getting thoughts and emotions out of her head and down on the page, where she can let them go. ‘We hold a lot of thoughts and emotions inside ourselves – whether we’re aware of it or not,’ Georgia explains. ‘Getting those out can be a huge relief in and of itself. It doesn’t have to be anything polished, no one else has to see it if that’s what you’d prefer, but just having it there in front of you can really help you process your emotions. And if something beautiful is made in the process, that’s even better.’
She puts the notes app on her phone to good use in this way, filling it to the brim with passing thoughts, lyrics, quotes and more. ‘I find that writing things down helps put my mind at rest,’ Georgia explains. ‘Sometimes I go back to what I’ve written to edit and pull ideas from it, and other times I delete it straightaway. I feel like it resets my thoughts when I need it most. If I’m stressed or upset, scribbling thoughts down helps me decompress.’
You can follow along with Georgia though WriteWell’s social media accounts — on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter — where you’ll find her posting about upcoming events, sharing inspiring writing prompts and so much more. If you’d like to get in touch with Georgia directly, her email is georgia@writewellcommunity.com.
Fun facts about Georgia:
Most loved exercises and courses?
I love Poetry pick-up. Being able to rearrange a poem and give it an entirely new meaning is fascinating to me. Poetry can feel quite daunting for a lot of people, so the fact that this acts as a very beginner-friendly introduction to the form is brilliant. Writing shouldn’t feel inaccessible – this activity offers the chance to play around with poetry and have fun with it with no judgement or deeper analysis needed.
Hand-written or typed?
Hand-written. I feel like everything I do is typed these days so any opportunity to handwrite feels much more special. I also just love being nosy and seeing everyone’s handwriting.
Poetry or Prose?
Prose is my favourite, for both reading and writing.
Favourite thing about Writewell?
I enjoy the live events and the interactive elements of the workshops. Being able to experiment with new forms and ideas in a safe and supportive place is so valuable.
