We were lucky to catch up with Ariel Sides recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Ariel thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
Recently, I’ve began working on my first book, and it is by far the most meaningful thing I have ever written; not because the content is anything special, but because it’s mine. I’ve had a few articles published here and there in the last few years, but this is completely unprompted, undefined, and simply my own creation. It is also by far, the single largest written project I have worked on to date and I am incredibly blessed to be at a place in my life where I am able to engage in this opportunity.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Writing has always been a passion for me…less of a focus, but definitely a passion. I started writing short stories in elementary school, and I was majorly mocked for it, so I stopped writing on my own, unprompted, until high school. Even then, when I would write, i kept it pretty personal and rarely shared anything I’d written. I was mostly writing sappy poetry, and songs about heartache and feeling alone in the world…typical teenage stuff. Eventually I started submitting my poetry to various contests, both local and national, and won several awards. I even made it onto to the “Who’s Who Among American High School Students,” list in 2005-2006. At the time it didn’t seem like much, but looking back, I think I did actually gain a little confidence from the recognition.
Since high school, I’ve been focused on raising a family, traveling for inspiration, and just generally fighting my way to a place, financially, where I could take a breath and focus more on my writing. I wrote stand-up bits for a while but absolutely refused to perform any of it on stage. During this time, I was attending college, working, and trying to find my place in the world. It gave me an outlet to express myself, and I did eventually find the confidence to share my writing with some professional comedians and close friends and family, all of whom enjoyed my material. This further boosted my confidence in my writing, even though I would never perform any of it myself.
During this time, I spent six years as an Uber driver, to help support our family while attending classes and I’m currently working on a coffee-table-style book full of anecdotes from my Ubering escapades, some of which being inspiration for some of my comedic material. I’m extremely proud of this project because I feel like it’s something people will be interested in; something of a novelty, coming from a female Uber driver with a sense of humor in a metropolitan area. Look for my name on the end table next time you visit the dentist!
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The ability to be real without pressure or feeling like I’m having to perform. I love writing, and I get to share my stories with the world in a way that is thought out and fully processed without having to worry about the immediate reactions of my audience, tripping over my own words, or negativity.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
I think an audience made up of people who are more analytical than creative would struggle to understand the timing and why it has taken me so long to finally piece together a project that is seemingly so simple. That being said, life is weird, and mine has been anything short of adventure and hard turns. I’ve lived in six states and Mexico. I’m a wife and mother. I’m still pursuing a biology degree. Sometimes the time (or energy) just isn’t there at the end of the day to make it happen as quickly as one might think it should.
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Image Credits
Dj Sides