Words are meaningless unless you string them into coherent sentences that conjure up the imagination of minds and open up endless possibilities.

Today, we sit down and explore how our words bring meaning to our lives, how we share our thoughts, hoping to inspire others and how we tell stories from our years of experiences to captivate our audience.

This collaboration is for those who enjoy our writing and wants to get into our minds to understand how we keep on churning out great content every day.

Without much ado, please allow us to introduce ourselves:

Amber

A soul from the United Kingdom called Amber, discovering love, truth, knowledge, God and enlightenment. Amber is a full-time writer, poet, philosopher, free-spirit, traveller, artist, African Djembe drummer, gardener, photographer, yogi, blogger, knowledge addict and student of the universe who is searching for truth, knowledge, what it means to be human and why one is on this planet. She loves to laugh and have deep, meaningful conversations. Amber writes daily for her blog: diosraw0.wordpress.com, collaborating with other bloggers, and creating articles for other websites.

Kally

Having more than 20 years as a manager in various industries, Kally Tay founded a career website to help others to thrive in their jobs. Featured on numerous platforms such as WordPress Editor’s Pick and AllWomensTalk, her website MiddleMe.net discussed complex and sensitive issues like workplace abuse and discord among coworkers while providing practical advice on how to handle those situations. As a freelance writer & recruiter herself, she helps others find success in freelancing, thus striking a balance between work and family.

How Did You Start Writing? Tell Us About Your Writing Journey.

Amber: Writing has been a constant companion for me from a very young age; I wrote stories and form creative pieces. I’ve kept a journal throughout my life. I believe each day it is a beneficial endeavour to release our day onto a page. This can allow us to make sense of things or purge up our mind.

My WordPress story is a complex one; I initiated writing a blog in 2019 as a therapy to ease the way PTSD and fibromyalgia (a chronic pain condition) was affecting my life. However, this blog was rather dark. I decided to delete it and create DiosRaw in 2020 to share my knowledge and experiences through writing. I found poetry, collaborations and series becoming a part of my daily life. It has given me a sense of purpose and something to wake up for each day.

However, in late 2020 due to WordPress censorship, my liking function was disabled, and the growth of the successful blog stagnated. It was tormenting me after putting blood, sweat, and tears into a blog and not interacting with the WordPress community appropriately or growing the blog anymore.

A month ago, in March 2021, I created DiosRaw, the same-named blog, because I wanted to access all of the WordPress functions and create meaning through my work containing the therapeutic process without censorship. I write series; currently symbols, mythology and civilisations, along with poetry, proverbs, poetry collaborations, collaborations and self-made quotes with daily words and a human family community project where people can come to get help if they need it – after all, this is a tough time for us all. Writing will be a companion until the day I die.

How about you, Kally?

Kally: Well, Amber, I did not intend to start out writing regularly. I was bored with my hiatus from the corporate world. I had so many ex-colleagues and friends calling me every day, seeking career advice; these calls can take up one or two hours on the phone and sometimes, I’ll take more than 3 calls a day.

It started to feel like full-time counselling work when it strikes me to put down all these pieces of advice into articles, so I don’t have to repeat myself again to another person caught in a similar situation.

Besides, I can share my insights with the rest of the world, particularly with folks who do not have a friend to give them proper sound advice. We do have professional websites that cater to fantastic career advice. Still, these websites often churned out formal articles, number crunching, and technical. What I am doing is to break down that hard-to-digest information into something easy on the eyes and on the mind on MiddleMe.

What Does Writing Mean To You?

Kally: Writing is another avenue for me to share my experiences in the corporate world. I have more than 20 years of management under my belt, and I want to share everything with everyone.

Amber: To me, writing means that we all have a medium of expression for our psyches to create the infinite forms of consciousness onto a page. Writing is therapy for the soul to release my inner world and create art or a cathartic piece.

How Does Writing Give You Meaning In Life?

Amber: I create because I have to, to survive, to keep going through the pain.

Writing oozes meaning for me because it has personal value within it. Writing has allowed me to survive until this day as an outlet for my crazy mind full of ideas and creativity. Writing has expanded my mind, baring my soul to the world and helping to articulate ideas and concepts to spread into the cybersphere.

Writing gives a sense of immortality. It is out there in the universe way after we die; words leave a mark and trace our steps. When you write, you will realise how little you know. The more you write, the more you learn about yourself and the world around you. I have also connected with some beautiful people through my writing which has helped or resonated with others; connection is essential and gives us meaning in our lives.

Kally: Talking about resonating with others, I hope to spread my messages wide and across to everyone. I strongly advocate against workplace abuse. Workplace abuse is hard to detect because abuses can be under mental torture or harassment that leaves no physical marks on the victims but equally, if not more harmful. Wounds from physical harm can heal over time, but mentally trauma can last a lifetime.

Another vital subject that I advocate is living your work life as meaningful as possible, striving towards your dreams and work with passion. You spend 9 hours every day at work, and that takes up half of your waking hours. If you are miserable at work, it means you are unhappy for 261 working days in a year. That’s a horrible way to spend your life.

Writing provides the space for me to advocate the clauses dear to my heart. MiddleMe gives voices to these topics.

Who Are Your Readers?

Amber: My readers are from all walks of life. Many readers are interested in spiritual studies and enjoy the art I combine with the concepts or topics I conversate about.

Some photographers like to view the photography I capture. Some souls come to read the poetry I write each day or the collaboration series with various bloggers I participate in. There is something for everyone to find interest in as a blog on diverse and wide-reaching subjects on my blog.

Kally: Same as mine. They are from all walks of life and all parts of the world. I can be reading an encouraging comment from someone in Venice, and next moment, I can be answering my email from a fan in New Delhi.

 I started the blog to cater to managers, particularly those under middle management hence the website name MiddleMe. Still, I realised that many others like freelancers, frontliners, entrepreneurs enjoy my articles, so I start writing for them as well.

What Kind Of Genres Do You Enjoy Writing The Most?

Kally: Giving out career advice is the core of MiddleMe, but in recent years, I have enjoyed writing about freelancing because that is closely related to what I am doing now as both a freelance writer and a recruiter that specialised in hiring freelancers.

How about you, Amber?

Amber: I thoroughly enjoy writing about spirituality, mythology and honestly all sorts of knowledge; I am naturally curious and find the world a fascinating place. Spirituality is close to my heart after having a spiritual awakening at a young age whilst alone in my bedroom for four years.

I had a dark night of the soul during this time (a period that can be likened to a crisis of identity, an existential crisis). I found the higher power to guide me through the dark times I was experiencing. I put the knowledge and experience I have learnt through this time and other areas of my life into my work for others to find consolation or insights.

On The Days You Feel Low, How Do You Find The Spark For Writing Meaningfully Again?

Amber: I write anyway; no matter the feeling I am in, I need a place such as my blog to release any inner world tension and put it into cyberspace.

My blog is my therapy, and without it, I think I would be lost. It is good to rest some days and take a break from online activity; however, I write to survive most days due to my illnesses. I have no other option but to write to keep me going in this lifetime.

Keep writing no matter what. You may find some treasure even in the transient painful moments of life that you articulate onto a page; who knows, you may just help someone on their journey.

Kally: That is excellent advice. For me, I read what others are writing. Writing about current events and career trends means I have to continuously update myself with the ongoing business world. Reading what others wrote has always inspired me in my writing.

Sometimes, if I get writer’s block, I will do interviews or collaborating with other writers. This way, we can bounce ideas off each other and feed on each other’s energy and creativity.

What Or Who Inspires Your Writing Most Of The Time?

Amber: My own life experiences have inspired me to create what I do. Many books have been read throughout my life, and insightful information from these have captivated me and inspired me to write.

The WordPress community inspires me; seeing other souls work motivates me daily to make wonderful posts. My mother has always believed in me; this has spurred me to always write.

Kally: Mainly, my readers, who provide loads of support and encouragement, make me believe that the content I am writing is valuable and helpful to others.

Another muse is my 4-year-old daughter, whom I want to leave this world a better place for her. I hope that she sees mummy pursuing her own passion and be a good role model for her.

When Did You First Realise That Writing Gave You Meaning, And Were There Any Therapeutic Benefits?

Kally: I always enjoy writing my thoughts down since I kept a diary when I was 7 years old. I felt that I could write all my feelings down without feeling silly and pour my heart out through words. Writing allows me to articulate and compartmentalise my thoughts before I act out my actions.

Most of all, the spark that started me writing was a movie called The Neverending Story. As a young child, I was impressed by how the movie inspired me to write my own neverending story.

Amber: When I was very young, I found a home in writing.

From then on, I have always been writing stories or journal entries. However, it wasn’t until my life took a painful twist that I found that creating a blog allowed me to meet new people through my writing and put a soothing balm over my life experiences by sharing them, making something concrete, so to say and form a regular habit of blogging and putting together pieces sent into cyberspace.

What Makes You A Good Writer, And What Areas Do You Think You Can Improve On?

Amber: I think through my writing, I am raw, real, and no area of life goes unacknowledged or out of bounds; because of this, I believe people are drawn to my work to find not only solace but also wisdom and learning through what I share.

The areas of writing that I would like to improve on are writing more in-depth articles about certain subjects and speaking a bit of my life story; I feel I have lived a hundred lifetimes already. Soon I would like to write the book I have always dreamed of and dedicate time and effort towards that.

Kally: I think what makes me a good writer is that I listen and I believe. Listening closely to what your audience wants to research and write what is lacking on the internet. Believing that I am contributing to helping others pushes me on even when I am busy with other priorities in my life.

There is always room for improvement. I’d like to be a master of time management, improve on making fewer grammatical mistakes and hone my storytelling skills to make it interesting for others.

What Rewards Does Writing Bring To You?

Kally: I’m reaping too many rewards. Haha.

If I have to name one big reward, I have made many friends on the blogosphere. Some of them have been with me throughout the 6 years of my writing journey, and I am extremely grateful for that.

Together with my MMers, my experiences have matured over the years, and my writing has shown that.

Amber: Writing brings me an outlet, a way of connecting to others, and feeling a sense of magic, creating pieces of poetry and other writing forms. It eases my mind, distracts me from the pain of fibromyalgia and allows me to be myself, which is one of the hardest things to be in this world we live in.

For New Writers, What Wisdom Would You Share To Aid Them In Finding Meaning In Their Writing?

Amber: If I had to give one piece of wisdom, it would be to write from your heart, from your own experiences and see what service you can be to other people through your work. Your own story, the person that walks in your shoes, could console someone else through your own journey. Write authentically and rawly; what can others take away as a gem from your writing.

Kally: And also, don’t let others tell you how you should or shouldn’t write. You don’t need to have perfect English to compose a perfect piece of art.

Looking Ahead, How Would You Like To Carry More Meaning Into Your Work?

Amber: By finding ways to communicate my inner world into concepts and words for people to understand and decipher in a comprehensible way. I would like to carry on my short story series to encapsulate my experiences and knowledge into a story form with wisdom and a moral to the story. Besides writing a series on different topics, I would also like to start writing more on my life story or articles surrounding this to carry more authenticity and meaning into my work.

Kally: I want to engage my audience more and allow my content to be more inclusive. I’m working on having more collaboration with other bloggers and arranging more interviews.

Thank you, Amber, for such a wonderful collaboration.

Amber: Likewise, this has been an amazing project.

If you like to reach out to any one of us, whether it is to seek inspirations or to collaborate, you can connect with us here:

Amber
ambervi0@outlook.com

Kally
Kally@MiddleMe.net