Column: Scribbles from my notepad

My name’s Lydia, I’m sixteen and am a student, blogger, writer, and freelancer.

I have been-since a young age-completely fascinated by words. (You’ll find me in a library, absorbed in a book, or writing the day away, complete with rusty typewriter.)

This column came about in an odd way, if I can put it like that.

Amid an exchange of two letters, a flurry of a few emails, exchanged ideas, this is where and when I arrived.

I visited the Middy’s publishing house, in Horsham, as part of our Work Related Learning Week, back in year ten at secondary school.

A ‘freelancer’ aspiring editor (*laughs*) in a very loose sense, I was scribbling notes in a moleskin notebook, complete with erratically inky fountain pen, and long hair covering my face. (Our head of year-who may be reading this—played his part in me being allowed to pitch a ‘teen’ column, rather than the more mature features.

To him I am eternally grateful, as well as my old tutor.) A real publishing house, complete with reporters typing away…We were alike!

I wanted to write like them! Surely this is where I wanted to work?

Yes. It very much was. Needless to say, I enjoyed that day immensely.

Nothing about the column came about at the time. I did, however, have an article printed about our trip. (My Surname is ‘Wilkins’, by the way; a misunderstanding about my email address led to it being printed as ‘Lydia Miles’. I kind of like that, though. Anyway, I digress.. )

Currently, I’m a student, in her first year of A levels, studying History, Combined English, and Politics.

I write a history blog-covering music, books, occasional Q&A’S, biographies-and contribute elsewhere, such as for Inguen/e magazine and various outlets online. Additionally, I like to read, go out to the cinema, attend concerts, ask nosy questions, and attend book launches.

Interviews with well-known authors and singers are one of my favourite pastimes. These have included Cathy Cassidy, children’s author, singer Lissie, Kerry Ellis, and Queen Extravaganza lead singer, Marc Martel. (This has lead me to attend a few concerts, on the guest list.)

My ultimate candidate would either be Doctor Brian May (guitar player, political protester, fox campaigner), or Derren Brown (Mentalist, Magician, and Writer).

For this column, I’ll be covering Sussex, on a month-by-month basis.

It’ll be the teen’s perspective of what goes on in the county. This includes events, opening days, student life….

As I said, I enjoy writing. And asking nosy questions. That’s why I write. (People are just interesting-but I’ll never be rude about it.) And that is why I have wanted to be a columnist, for a very long time. I’m grateful to The Mid Sussex Times for giving me this opportunity.

Currently, I’m reading: The letters of Sylvia Plath ; Listening to: Songs In The Trees (Carly Simon.)