About Me — Nova Richards

“I can do hard things”

Let me explain this mantra

It’s not mine. But it's what I repeat to myself when I’m dying in the twentieth minute of a sea row at race-pace.

For rowers out there, that's about 25+ strokes per minute at between 80 — 100% effort. It’s damn hard.

Glennon Doyle is one of my heroes, and her book, Untamed, is extraordinary. I borrowed this mantra she lent to the world.

“ I can do hard things.” — resounded across the world during 2020 and was a call to arms for many, myself included.

I’ve written it on my wall. Climbed mountains of self-doubt, carrying these words in order to write bravely. Honestly. Regardless of following or income.

I even dared to submit a deeply vulnerable, personal essay for the Medium Writers Challenge Jermaine Hall posted about back in July. I think it’s some of my best work.

I’m really proud of it. Despite the typos — which I’m too frightened to edit in case it discounts me from the competition. Any advice out there?

“ I can do hard things”

Fills my mind when I’m pushing out of the bottom of a back squat with 70+kg on the bar, for what feels like an irrational number of reps. Difficult not to instantly reevaluate life choices when the grind gets tough.

The artist way

You’ll notice in my work I use my own art and imagery. Whether or not it is advisable I wouldn’t know. I can’t help it — I love my art, it’s a part of me and my writing would feel incomplete, disingenuous even, without it as its all a part of the process. The art, words and imagery form together around a theme.

I live in Cornwall, UK, surrounded by enviable coastlines which are my constant inspiration. Anyone from across the Atlantic may recognise my homeland thanks to President Biden’s recent G7 summit visit. I have mixed feelings about this level of recognition.

I can trace my entire life through Cornwall’s landscape, like many writers and artists before me. Everyone from Keats, Hardy to the British Impressionists found their light here.

What interests me

Having only published poetry and personal essays — I suppose I would have to call myself a poet and a personal essayist. I have though, also been a police officer and a teacher — I have seen the best and worst of people. Currently, I’m a Master’s level student of Marketing & Communications and a Social Science researcher.

I’m drawn to topics of anthropology, human psychology and philosophy and anything which gives voice to something of the human experience. This intersection is where I make camp. I think deeply on the matter of existence, seeking the profound in the simple, everyday experience. Everything from my art, writing and research is informed, even driven by these interests.

Why I write

Really it was an accident. I had no idea the way I saw the world, how I processed the vast to the minutiae, my obsessive observation of people and patterns — why we do what we do — meant I was a storyteller.

It wasn’t until my mid-twenties that I started capturing any of these thoughts when a dear friend gave me a beautiful, leather-bound journal as a Christmas gift. I filled it within months. Everything from poetry to deep processing of emotions flooded the pages. It was the beginning of both my journey toward emotional health and acknowledgement that I was a writer.

I’ve kept a journal ever since.

They are filled with endless sketches of familiar headlands, watercolours, my poetry and anything I may be processing at the time. They are my art-in-process and landscape of my inner world.

My young soul was too asleep at the time to recognise the incredible gift that journal was. My friend saw in me, what I could not. She woke up writing and creativity in me through the simplest of acts. I recognise now one of the greatest gifts we can receive, is to be truly seen. I owe her so much. Writing this, I felt the nudge to text her just now and tell her a little bit of this story and the profound impact her simple gift has had on my life.

My genesis

In my early teens, the character I most resonated with was Levin from Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. I fell in love with Levin’s richly described inner thoughts and his savouring of the human experience. Feeling deeply seen, perhaps for one of the first times in my life, by this exceptionally written characterisation.

That book marked my life. Subconsciously, I have aspired to write in a way that moves my readers also — words that leave a footprint and help them see something of themselves reflected.

It is only these past few weeks, since entering the Writers Challenge, I have begun to write in earnest. I’ve published on here since 2018, most of it poetry, and received some good feedback. While I love writing poetry, I believe I’ve hidden behind it. Being so open to interpretation, I think it can be a less vulnerable format of writing. I published a short memoir piece that got accepted to The Junction but gained very little traction. It was my bravest piece of work, before my latest submission to the Writers Challenge.

Going forward

“ I can do hard things”

I will write for my love of it. I will keep submitting my work for publication. I will believe I’m good enough to be here. I will grow and evolve as a writer, graciously accepting feedback and help others do the same. I’m here for this. I’m showing up, in all my beautiful and wondrous messiness.

With thanks to Dr Mehmet Yildiz for his story explaining the need for writer bios. I have enjoyed the experience of writing this, more than I imagined I would.

I appreciate all of you who take the time to read this and I look forward to getting to know many of you in this writing community here at ILLUMINATION.