Writer Profile

Introduction to Julius Evans

It’s an Honor and a Pleasure to Have My Work Featured Here

My story could be as long as anyone else’s on Medium, but I am going to cut to the chase and make this short, yet comprehensive.

I happened upon Medium quite by chance. I was researching a topic for my Facebook Group Book Recommendations and there pops Medium. I looked around on the platform and my curiosity was piqued. I joined the day I found it and have been hooked ever since. That was on Aug. 4, 2021.

I rolled right in because as a writer by trade, I was already accustomed to all the things that writers go through.

Signs of Greatness

I got into a little trouble before I joined the U.S. Navy right out of high school. I was supposed to become a dental technician but was diverted from my trip to boot camp to a commanding officer’s waiver meeting. At the recruiter’s office, the Chief Recruiter explained that I needed to write the events of what took place because now, I had to ask permission for the Navy to honor its contract with me. I was on the verge of not being allowed to join. It was pretty scary because I was all set and prepared to leave home, which was Jackson, MS.

I wrote about this earlier in one of my Medium stories, so for consistency, I am going to borrow from that article a short section from my previously published story:

“This story starts in Jackson, MS, just before I graduated from high school in 1980. I had a troubled past as a teen and found myself in front of a judge, arraigned eight days before I was supposed to report for Navy boot camp. Because of that, my travel arrangements had to be altered. Instead of going to sunny Orlando, FL, to start my military training, I had to get on a bus to Memphis, TN, to get a commanding officer’s waiver for enlistment. The judge gave me a break, but now, it was the Navy’s turn. The head recruiter told me to write a detailed and comprehensive synopsis of what led to my arrest. I knew that what I wrote would be a crucial and deciding piece of evidence in whether or not I would be able to join the United States Navy.

“The recruiter gave me an ink pen and a long, pad of paper, similar to the type lawyers use. I wrote my story from beginning to end and handed the pad over to the Master Chief. He sat there with a pipe clenched tightly between his teeth. A steady stream of thick, aromatic smoke filled the air. On one hand, the smoke-choked me, but on the other hand, it smelled fairly decent. As he leaned forward in his chair, I watched multiple expressions change on his face. He withdrew his pipe, set it in the large ashtray that decorated his desk, and said, “This is pretty good. Most seniors coming out of high school can’t write as well as you do.” Never mind the fact, that I practically altered the course of my entire life. He felt I had just written a pretty good story.”

Unbeknownst to me, that was the first piece of serious writing I had really ever done. Yes, I did tell the story of a writing assignment I finished when I was a kid. I wrote about King; the German Shephard Wolf Dog and that story has done exceptionally well on Medium. But again, this was writing well before any formal training.

Suffice to say, this is just a glimpse into the past and my relationship with writing. The first story tells of how I became a Navy Jet Engine Mechanic, but I also wrote about what I worked on. I published those articles in the base newspaper. That was before I learned the Navy had journalists.

I went on to formal military journalism training at the Defense Information School in Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indianapolis, IN, and I always found it a thrill that Alex Haley, the author of Roots: The Saga of an American Family, and I shared the same military rating.

In fact, I might as well share this story because it goes into all the details of my Long and Twisted Journey of Becoming a Published Writer. This is an entertaining story.

Since Aug. 4, 2021, I have published 71 stories on Medium, one of which went viral and skyrocketed my numbers from 744–25,000 in one week. I know, I know. There are many other definitions for what a viral story is, but for a new Medium writer, it doesn’t get more viral than that. It’s only been a short while on the site and as of today, well, the stats speak for themselves:

Medium acknowledged my writing with a Top Writer badge in the Music category and I am grateful. Every article I have written has been curated and now, I am being featured in the Curated Collection Series. My material has been featured in Issues #3, #6, and #7. I look forward to seeing if I am selected for the next edition, issue #8. Lest I forget to mention that I was recognized in a writing challenge through Medium publication Evolve. This is a very well-done publication and if you haven’t visited it, please do. You will also see my featured article there under the title: 2021 Evolve Winter Competition Winner and Runners Up! Thank you, Carrie and JS Adam.

So, from Facebook to Medium, I enjoy the interaction with active readers and writers. On Medium, ‘reader’ denotes someone who is reading and engaging your material on the platform. On Facebook, the readers share their experiences with the books we have read and intend to read. There’s nothing more satisfying than reading a great book. The book recommendations from the group can sometimes be invaluable.

To me, the two are mutually intertwined. This community of readers and writers shall forever be engraved in my heart. Thank you for taking the time to get to know me a little better. I know I will eventually run into you on the site — maybe. There are several million of you out there, so maybe not! :-)

About the Author

Julius Evans has a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College, Newport, RI; a Master of Arts degree in Strategic Communication and Leadership from Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ; a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from City University, Bellevue, WA, and an Associate of Arts Degree in Liberal Studies from Central Texas College, Killeen, Texas. He is a 1985 graduate of the Defense Information School (DINFOS) of Print and Electronic Journalism and Advanced Public Affairs. DINFOS was relocated from Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indianapolis, IN, to its current location at Fort George Meade, MD.

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Copyright © 2021, Julius Evans, All Rights Reserved.