We were lucky to catch up with Arianna Urban recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Arianna thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?

Yes and no, writing has always been something that I have done for myself and deciding to share that with the world was a big jump. The first writing job that I had was in college, and I wrote 75 articles about s*x, love, and relationships in college. I wrote under a pseudonym so it took some of the excitement of having my name on something away. Even though I was sharing my stories, along with my friends in a very personal way, and using an alias was protecting everyone’s privacy, I’ve never been afraid of speaking up. I started out writing poetry and music lyrics as a kid, which helped me process big emotions that I didn’t know how to talk about. I’ve turned that passion in two three books, the third to be released in August. I’ve learned over the years that when people have something to relate to, it makes them feel seen and less alone. So, taking the risk of writing in a very raw way about my feelings, while it feels very scary, if it helps someone else through a difficult time it’s worth it. I wish I would have known that sooner so I could feel more confident in what I am sharing.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I took a creative writing class in college and I’ve been scrambling the alphabet into semi-clever dialogue ever since. Writing has also been a very private outlet to cope with my big feelings. When I was a kid I used to create fake newspapers and I asked for a typewriter for my 12th birthday. In my mind it was one of those old school ones that pinged when it got to the end of the line, but when we wandered into a Staples, I found they were all electric. I have since acquired a 1952 Royal that gives a very satisfactory ping. I currently submit poetry and various articles to Harness Magazine, and have had pieces featured in (614) Magazine, Stock and Barrel and I wrote 75 articles for UWeekly, now called (614) Campus. Since graduating from Full Sail University in 2019 with my BFA in Creative Writing for Entertainment, I have self-published two poetry books, Feeling Out Loud and when I believed in love. My third is due out in August, called Fragments. Publishing these books myself is definitely my greatest accomplishment, the love, tears, joy, frustration, and gentleness that goes into the process is something that I love having control over. When I believed in love turned out so much better than I could have dreamed, it is currently available online through Amazon and any major bookseller. I also have a personal website that I update when I can, writing is not my full time job, I am a mother, and work in Association Management for Condominium Communities around Columbus. Thankfully my full time jobs give me some flexibility in continuing my creative journey.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Share our work, even if it doesn’t resonate with you, supporting a local artist and sharing with your audience may reach people we never dreamed of finding on our own. While I chose to self-publish, I also submit my work to major publishing houses, and networking to find an agent would be incredibly beneficial. Social Media has helped tremendously in getting independent artists information and work out t around the globe, and it only takes a few seconds to share something with your followers.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My mission is to create real content that is relatable so that people don’t feel alone. I think in general as a society we’re taught to keep our feelings to ourselves, and I am all about feeling my feelings out loud for the world. You never know what sad poem is going to make someone else feel less alone. Everyone deserves to feel seen and their feelings validated and one of the best ways for that to happen, in my opinion anyway, is to find someone else who can relate to your story. Someone that can say, “I’ve been in a similar situation, I see you, and I know how your heart aches, and it will heal in time.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://aeurbanwrites.wixsite.com/thetypewriterdiary
• Instagram: aeurbanwrites
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arianna-urban/