Finding My Voice: A starter's guide to Blogging

My application to the Voices of Youth blogging internship was a whim. I sent a sample piece of writing as a means to test myself – to see whether I’d have the nerve to click ‘apply here’. Of course I thought I’d never hear back – over 1,000 applicants, they'd never pick a lass from Newcastle to blog on global issues affecting the youth of today.

Oh…. Wait.

I remember opening the email at work and I practically skipped home. As I let the elation sink in, it slowly dawned on me that I was expected to write a post every week. I was meant to hold the attention of an international audience…for an entire four months. I could feel my blood bubble with nerves.

I felt like a fraud - who was I to be voicing my concerns, when there are much stronger, rawer issues being experienced across other sides of the globe? I am privileged enough already to live in a world where I am free to think, learn and exercise my own agency. I had no right to be taking the mic…right?

Then I thought about it like this: If I were to mute my voice in favour of another’s, then who else would do so too? Who else feels second best, unworthy of speaking up; and who else is choosing silence in its place?

And just like that, I never looked back.

Full post can be found here

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