Hello there! Thanks for visiting my blog! I'm Linda, a 20-something Asian American from California living in Taipei, Taiwan. Wistfully Linda is my writing blog.
I've been lurking on various writing and publishing blogs for a couple years, but it wasn't until recently that I decided to take the plunge and get involved in the writing community. I started this blog because I wanted to create a plan of attack and track my progress as I tackle my dream of writing a novel, document the journey, and share my joys and frustrations. Lately, though, I've discovered that I quite enjoy musing about various aspects of reading and writing, so that's what many of my posts are about (until the next time my blog gets an identity crisis, at least).
My favorite thing about blogging is the interactive aspect. I love it when a post inspires a lively, thoughtful discussion, and it's fascinating to discover all the different perspectives out there. I hope that my blog can be a place where people are comfortable sharing their viewpoints (respectfully, of course), so please feel free to chime in if a post resonates with you, inspires you, or even frustrates you! I always read comments and do my best to respond to each one.
I feel a tiny bit guilty about the fact that my posting is rather erratic. I try to shoot for once a week, but I'm afraid I'm not all that consistent. I also post link roundups of my favorite posts from the blogosphere a couple times a month. If you enjoy my posts, the best way to stay updated is to follow the blog or subscribe through RSS or email.
Contact Info
You can email me at wistfullylinda at gmail dot com, or find me on Twitter. I also blog at A Glimpse of Wistfulness, where I post whatever strikes my fancy: photos of outings with friends, musings on random subjects, and the occasional (real-life) story or two.
Story of My Life (Sort Of)
I was born on the east coast of the United States, where deer and falling snow in our yard held me spell-bound as a baby (or so my parents tell me). When I was two years old, my family — Mom, Dad, my little sister, and me — moved to Taiwan. We returned to the States when I was in second grade, but this time we settled in sunny Southern California (oh lovely weather, how I miss you!).
I've loved reading practically since I was born; my parents began teaching me to read (both English and Chinese) when I was just a few months old. My favorites as a kid were YA fantasy novels. I've still got a soft spot for them now, although I no longer pretend to be a magical princess working with my equally magical sister-princesses (my sister and our friend) to defend our kingdom from our evil stepmother.
I started several stories when I was younger but never managed to finish any of them. Despite being a slacker in general, I breezed through high school, where I was mainly known for being smart and bookish (and tall, because I'm 5'9" — why yes, I'm an Asian female). I then attended UC Berkeley and studied Molecular and Cell Biology with an emphasis in genetics. My science classes helped me improve my scientific reasoning and pre-exam cramming skills, while my English minor provided the motivation to churn out analytical papers in a single night (fortunately they tended to turn out well).
Now that I'm in Taiwan, trying to discover myself, I want to commit to writing down the stories I've been spinning in my head for years. I'm determined to actually finish something for once. I've always wanted to write, and this year I'm going to make that a reality. My goal is to choose an idea, write an outline, complete a first draft, then polish it until it gleams. Lather, rinse, repeat.
Once I've proven to myself that I can write more than one novel that (at least somewhat) measures up to my vision, I'll start to think more about pursuing publication. Until then, I'm content to hone my craft and practice as much as I can.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy my blog!
last updated 08.30.2011
