Writing is like stepping into a dry caldera and filling it with your imagination; every molecule of water and each carbon atom of the fauna that live there are pulled straight from your wildest dreams. In science, we accept the Law of Conservation of Mass, which states that matter is neither created nor destroyed, and, technically, I suppose words are not matter; however, I believe that exploring the boundless potential of our imagination is the closest we get to breaking this fundamental law. We create stories every day and these stories have a tangible effect on the people who read them. This is why I love writing and why it has been a constant in my life since before I could properly spell anything. As a writer, I get to relive the feral curiosity of childhood as an adult; I get to step into brand new worlds and follow breadcrumb trails of questions that sprout life when I answer them. I get to create characters and fill them with the parts of myself I do not yet understand and, in doing so, begin to understand myself a little better. To me, writing is therapy and imagination and pure joy—as well as a gladiatorial act of bravery. It can, however, remain incredibly insular without practice, especially if we are too afraid to cross that final hurdle. I have found that the largest leaps in my own writing have come after workshop experiences and after having enriching conversations with other artists. Being in dialogue with writers who are further along in their careers always broadens my own perspective of the craft and reminds me to be patient and to stay motivated. Because of this, it is vitally important to me—and to the longevity of my career—that I build a strong community and practice breaking the Law of Conservation by sharing what I have created with others. In this vein, I am hoping the CREATIVE.INSPIRED.HAPPY Mid-Career Writing Scholarship will help me pay for a month-long residency at Vermont Studio Center in the spring of 2025. I am thrilled to have already been accepted to VSC and know that the community and the focused writing-time there will be invaluable in launching my career. This scholarship would provide a substantial contribution and allow me to afford this transformative opportunity. Thank you kindly for your consideration. Both my physical and my imaginary fingers will be crossed!