Ashlee Williams: A Writer in the Making

Written by Justin Hersh

Calm, cool, and collected, Ashlee Williams seems to know exactly which direction she wants her life to go in. . . North!

At only 21, Ms. Williams has a dream of working her way into the fast-paced lifestyle that New York City has to offer. How’s she going to get there? Handwork, and her deep passion for writing. Ashlee is a junior at Frostburg State University and is pursuing her degree in mass communication with a minor in journalism. After receiving her Bachelors Degree, her plan is to complete her education at the New School, a creative arts college in the heart of Manhattan. “I took a tour there recently, and I fell in love with the environment up there. I loved being around people who were as interested in the arts as I am.”

She started exploring creative writing at a young age, following in the footsteps of her mother, a webpage designer, but most importantly her role model. When it comes to her writing, Ashlee mainly creates short stories, drawing inspiration from her past and present life experiences. “I write about my personal experiences and things that have happened to me and people I have known, but I change the names of my characters to make them universal and relatable.”

Although the everyday events in Ashlee’s life feed her creative side, there are sometimes where inspiration is in short supply. In those times of creative drought, she turns to her music and poetry. Her favorite performer is Erykah Badu, a R&B singer/songwriter who also writes and performs poetry. “I’m a big fan of her music because it tells a story, more than other songs these days do.” Ashlee had also mentioned that she relies most on her writing in times of stress and hardship. She states, “I would want my stories to apply to many people, but I’d really like it if my writing could help out others who are going through difficult times.”

Ashlee explains with much enthusiasm how great it would be to get a job as a columnist for magazines like Cosmopolitan and Vogue, but one of her main priorities is to have her work published, whether it be in a book or magazine, though it’s clear she won’t settle for anything less than she wants. With her determination and drive, Ashlee Williams will use her writing to get her there, get her thru it, and inspire other people to do the same.