Today we’d like to introduce you to Julianna Writing As Lalalalawriting
Hi Julianna, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In general, I’m a young/new adult romance author with a love for all things romance, tea, and the color yellow. I’ve always been a hopeless romantic. After falling in love with reading romance as a tween, I fell into writing because I wanted to create stories that felt more relatable to me, which led me to stumble upon Wattpad and write my first novel when I was fourteen years old. After winning a 2021 Watty Award, I self-published Potentially You and Me in 2022 and The Culture of Hooking Up in 2023 under my penname, lalalalawriting. I’m also currently pursuing a M.A. in Sociology. I’m interested in researching anything related to gender, women’s issues, and dating expectations/hookup culture.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
On the resume building side of things, I consider myself fortunate because I’ve always liked school. I’m a sucker for academic validation. I enjoyed getting my B.A. in English, getting to concentrate my degree around my favorite thing, writing, and minoring in sociology helped open my mind to the world outside of my comfort zone. The idea of going back to graduate school to pursue my masters was in the back of my mind for a while, so finally committing and doing that has felt very fulfilling.
When it comes to my author journey, I think everyone in any creative field can attest to things like imposter syndrome, discipline, and staying motivated for the sake of the art itself rather than the possible rewards or recognition.
For me specifically, since I started writing books on Wattpad as an early teen, I think it left me constantly wanting to rush my timeline. While starting young allowed me to find my voice, develop my writing style, and motivated me to self-publish, it also skewed my views.
I kept comparing myself and my books to other authors, equating their successful publishing deals, best-sellers, and movie contracts to my lack thereof. I also thought being categorized as the latest, greatest, and youngest “teen writer” would make or break my career. But as time passed, I learned what it was like to rely on myself and trust my timing. My journey as a person and a writer is unique to me. There’s no need to rush the process. Despite feeling so old sometimes and feeling like I’ve learned a lot, I know I’m still young and growing in a lot of ways, too.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I love sharing my love and appreciation for romance with the world, but I also always aspire to inject as much realism into the genre as possible, especially when it comes to the struggles of dating within the new adult genre. In this age bracket, which I’m also currently part of, it often feels like there’s people who don’t have dating experience and are just learning what it feels like to fall in love, like Lacie O’Connor in Potentially You and Me. There are also people who know the dating playing field like the back of their hand and are tired of playing, like Laney Emerson in The Culture of Hooking Up. (And of course, there’s everyone else in between!) Whether it’s in fictional novels or nonfiction social research, I hope to shed a more realistic light on romance, love, and the trials and tribulations of dating rituals and experiences.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
The main lesson I learned from the Covid-19 crisis is the idea of slowing down. While I know not everyone was so lucky, I’m thankful I spent the lockdown at home with my family. I gained a greater appreciation for the everyday things we so often take for granted, like getting to wake up in the morning and chat with my mom over steaming mugs of tea, or re-watching a curated list of childhood movies with my sisters.
Similarly, it reminded me to stop postponing my happiness. (Which is a mindset I also owe to a lot of content creators I started following over the last few years as well.) Since the pandemic showed us how quickly life can change overnight, I strive to get rid of a “waiting” mentality. “I’ll be happy when I finish A, or when I get B.” Instead, I try to be happy with the day in front of me and how I can bring myself joy in this moment.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lalalalawriting.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lalalalawriting/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@lalalalawriting
