Senior Finds Home in Creative Writing

From his squinted, smiling eyes and the joyful bounce in his step, many people wouldn’t realize the hardships that cheerful senior Brandon Williams has recently faced. After several deaths in his family, Williams has turned to writing short stories, poems and a short book to change his unhappy state into a more accomplished one.

“I take the deaths of people close to me and weave that into the morbidness I see in the world,” Williams said, “It has been really hard. Another one of my grandparents has cancer and is expected to have only less than a year to live.”

Williams has two main types of writing, both of which are satires. He writes about his view of society, and the morbidness of humanity as well. Williams’ opinion on the world is that it is “pretty screwed up”. He works this opinion into a lot of his stories.

Williams’ biggest, most prized piece of writing is his 80-page book. The book is a roleplay story about the video game Halo.

“There are a lot of Halo books out there,” Williams said, “And I’m just taking that and extrapolating on my opinions and views in a non-canon kind of way.”

Roleplay stories are like any other story that you would read or write, except it’s with multiple people. This gives stories more depth, but less structure. The other person you’re writing with in roleplay stories either goes with your opinion or against it.

“I really like roleplay stories because you take on a different personality, or even multiple personalities,” Williams said. “The other person you’re writing with also takes on multiple personalities.”

The book Williams’ has written is published on a private website that he puts all of his work on, including different roleplay stories about numerous video games like “Destiny”, “Halo” and “Borderlands”. He and a friend run it, and a few East students are also subscribed. Williams has recently made contact with a man from Ireland through his website who is planning on helping him with his writing. The two plan to write a conjoined story soon, which will be put on the website.

“I’m really pleased that I met someone from another country that can help me,” Williams said. “We haven’t done anything yet but we are planning to in the near future.”

Williams’ favorite pieces that he has ever written are called “Dead Eyes” and “If My Heart Did Beat”. Both are poems, written when Williams’ view of the world was changing.

“I wrote these pieces when I was just kind of unhappy,” Williams said. “These pieces really sparked how things went from hopeful and bright in childhood to dull and unhappy in my teenage years.”

Williams’ favorite pieces are similar to the works of his favorite authors, Edgar Allen Poe and Stephen King. Williams admires their writing style and their ways of thinking.

All of the pieces that Williams has written are results of the creative writing class here at East, which Williams has taken three times.

“The first time I took creative writing, it was on a whim,” Williams said. “I really enjoy how Mrs. Beachy teaches and acts.”

Williams signed up for the creative writing class all because of the teacher that teaches it, Mrs. Beachy, his favorite teacher. The first time Williams took the class, he quickly realized how there were other benefits to the class, other than Mrs. Beachy. Williams instantly fell in love with the class. The people were fun and supportive yet constructive according to Williams. He was writing more than he ever had before.

“It’s such a good atmosphere to work in,” Williams said. “I really improved my writing from the constructive criticism.”

Williams isn’t planning on having a professional career in writing, but he hopes to keep up his website and keep producing stories.

“I really wouldn’t mind writing forever,” Williams said. “Maybe I can even publish a few books someday.”

If My Heart Did Beat

by Brandon Williams

The mere sight of her took my breath away,

and did cause my heart to begin to beat

for this woman that stole my heart that day

gave me a feeling that was all too sweet

I only wish that once again we meet

and she return my heart or give me hers

lest my soul be crushed beneath loss’s feet

or my love be tossed where the water stirs

I ask what gods wrath I did incur

to be bound to a life of loneliness

Although I’ve been rejected, I’ll not deter

though it is hard to resist hopelessness.

If my heart did beat, then my heart did soar