My Kinolime Journey - A Story from Nina, A Runner-Up

I am a writer.

Something I felt I only deserved to say if I was employed. But I didn’t even know which writing career path to take before I smiled at myself and said “I am a writer.” And all it took was one reader.

“Welcome to Blue Chicago.” And “Annabelle, the Moon.” These were my first stories. I wrote these as my 7th grade English essays. Both were very mature for my age so when my English teacher asked to speak to me after class, I thought I was leaving with social services that day. But instead, she put a hand on my shoulder and said “May I share these? You are a great writer.”

I don’t remember much about that moment but I know I wasn’t thinking about employment. I remember feeling proud of myself and SO damn happy. Of all the essays she had to read, she enjoyed mine so much, she wanted to make sure someone else heard it. What a feeling. I wrote many stories after that but it was a very long time till I had that feeling again. But also, it was a very long time till I shared my stories again. In retrospect, I only ever questioned my worth or my talent when I wasn’t sharing it.

I AM a writer. My journey with Kinolime has been an echo of this, like a quiet lighthouse assuring me that I’m going the right way. “Something Like Molasses” is the first draft of the first feature script I’ve ever written. I love the story with all my heart. Writing it felt like the universe passed through me and left a wet kiss. But I also knew I had to get past my delusions and look at it with fresh eyes.

The journey this story took with Kinolime’s competition didn’t feel like it was competing at all. The readers are film lovers; who better to decide the next story on our screens? I held onto this draft for a year before I decided to share it, so being informed of every step, even when I wasn’t asking, made me feel like my work was in safe hands.

When it was announced on Kinolime’s website that “The Waif” was the winner of the competition, it felt like I heard a collective round of applause. What a brilliant script. But who would’ve known if nobody read it?

Creative writing is not a linear process. It is creative. One story might start at ABC and another might need to be told from 123. As writers, we tend to learn this the hard way – dreading the process and then questioning our talent.. A writer needs a reader. And they don’t need to be a famous producer. Remember, there’s no journey we take alone, and Kinolime has been with me every step of the way.