The Creatives Project #1: Julia Ryan

Hello, friends!!

Today is a really exciting day on the blog - it's the official launch of the Creatives Project! I've been so pleased and encouraged by everyone who has reached out in an email or left a sweet comment about this project, and I can't wait to kick it off TODAY! Now, without further ado, please give a big warm welcome to our first creative, Julia Ryan of the barefoot gal and Twilight to Dawn!

What made you want to start blogging?

"I love words and books and pictures and storytelling and friends so basically, I fell in love with it before I knew what blogging was! When I started on this journey, there were not too many lifestyle or writer teen bloggers out there yet. I totally am excited with the large community now." 

What are your favorite topics to blog about?

"Passionate stuff. They are the posts I pour myself into. I know a lot of times that it's something that I need to hear and so I hope it will help someone else as well. And I love how open my readers are to my spontaneous topics! Because I get to be 100% goofy in one post, while the next is all-out serious."

How do you balance art, blogging, work/school and life in general?

"For the past almost two years, I publish a new post on the barefoot gal every 4-5 days. There were a few times where that wasn't consistent (i.e. vacation and grad trip) but overall, it's been a refreshing pattern to keep! The balance was hard during my junior year, but since I broke free of the stress of it, I've found I have to make time for my creative [pursuits] otherwise I'll dry up in every other space of my life. I've worked two jobs since May of this year...it hasn't always been easy, but I can 100% say it's worth it for me!"

If you were an instrument, which would you be and why?

"To be honest, I love the fiddle, so I'll say that."

If you could only pursue one creative project or medium for the rest of your life, one and only one, which would it be and why?

  "Writing. I can answer that without hesitation. It is my greatest joy to spill words onto paper (or type them, hehe) because WOW, words mean so many different things to different people. I love love love perspective."

Who or what inspires you to create?

"For my poetry, it is generally a thought or a few words that a friend/sister/human says to me, or what I see in life around me. But most of the time, it's the sky. I cannot get over how many times I look up and get this overwhelming urge of inspiration."

What art of your own are you most proud of and why?

"Though sometimes I look at that even and think it's lame! But...the reason why is, I didn't KNOW I could write poetry. I thought I knew all of my creative angles. I was wrong."

Julia's Advice for Creatives:

"Don't stick with what you know. My first novel was a western because that's what I mainly read. My second was a contemporary (which I hardly read!) and I feel so much more love for that book. Creatives are supposed to be that - creative! The "box" isn't meant for us....[You can] give up on feeling like you've got to be perfect on your first try. And give up your worries about failing. I like to say it's good to fail, because in the end, you'll have grown way more than if you got it right on the first attempt."

Thank you so much Julia for being the very first blogger in the Creatives Project! I loved reading your answers and adored these gorgeous photos. Y'all, give Julia's blogs some love here and here!

Want to be the next blogger featured on the Creatives Project? Find out more information here! What inspires YOU to create? I have to second Julia on the sky. Breathtaking sunsets have my heart. ♥