~ By Christine Meram
“Did you major in Creative Writing?”
That was a question, at a family event, that had me recollect my writing journey. How I got into writing, starting from an unfamiliar place, yet with very familiar settings.
I never sought a writing career, in fact, at times, I think it chose me, through my love of storytelling.
I was in my mid-twenties, finding a way to creatively express myself, outside of the rigorous and grueling Interior Design program, I had found myself. I would spend hours, compiling research about different places, creating intricate backstories for my pretend clients, till one day, it dawned on me. I could do more, than simply write a two page paragraph about a person. I could create an entire world.
That was when I began to write stories in my spare time.
In school, I was critiqued and picked at by some of my professors to the point of frustration. But I had learned a valuable lesson. Poise and nod. Yes, you nod to criticism and handle it with poise and grace. It not only showed a wave of maturity of my part, but the ability to not get so easily offended or hurt, if there were issues or 
problems with my design projects. The deeper I found myself, getting into writing and pursuing a career in it. I can keep my cool, when I know many people in my life who wouldn’t. No writer, wants their work redlined, but every writer understands it’s part of the process, so the story can reach its full potential. Well, same thing applies for an interior designer. That dreaded red pen, might be scary at first, but the more times your work gets critiqued, the less scary and wanted that red pen eventually becomes.
In any creative field, you have to understand, that it’s not just about the story you’re telling, but how that story influences others. In Interior Design, your story is in every material, every piece of furniture, and art work you select. The same thing applies to storytelling. Every word is a material to build the world transcending from our imaginations onto the page.
Every writer’s journey might be different, but our destination is the same. To have our books published and in the hands of eager readers.
* Has your “day job” helped you with your writing career in unexpected ways? Please share! *
Christine Meram was born in Detroit, Michigan and raised in sunny San Diego, California. She earned her BFA in Interior Design at the Design Institute of San Diego, where she first discovered her love of storytelling.
When Christine isn’t writing, she enjoys unwinding at theme parks, exploring the beaches, and hanging out with friends. She is currently working on a YA contemporary fantasy romance, that she hopes to query in the Fall/Winter.