Creator Spotlight: Reese Marie

"I’m often inspired by the simple idea that stories are powerful." - Reese Marie

By Vocal SpotlightPublished 3 years ago 7 min read
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Theresa Hull, or, as she's known on Vocal, Reese Marie, is a driven writer, entrepreneur, and appreciator of literature from Illinois. As a long time Vocal+ Creator, her growth in terms of cultivating an online presence and her abilities in writing and storytelling is evident—it's been a pleasure witnessing her develop!

Reese has been a winner of 3 Vocal+ exclusive challenges, each prize-winning submission lending itself to her diverse set of creative skills. First, she claimed 3rd place in our "Landscape Mode" challenge with her piece, "When I Look at the Stars, I am a Traveler". Next, she took home 3rd place in our "Outdoor Shots" challenge with her piece, "How I was able to see the Northern Lights in Michigan". Last but not least, she won 3rd place in our "Sustainability Hacks" challenge with her piece, "Commit to the Thrift".

While some of her success on Vocal can be chalked up to her varying, yet consistently quality stories, it's clear that Reese has a voice that readers and creators alike can identify with. We are so appreciative to have learned more about Reese in this #VocalSpotlight. Enjoy!

On Herself, Hobbies, and Aspirations:

I’m Reese. I’m a Meyers Briggs INFP, which means I’m a dreamer and an idealist. I am a recent college graduate, an entrepreneur, an artist, and an aspiring filmmaker. I love rainy days and mint chocolate chip ice cream and creating many different types of art.

On Her Relationship With Writing and Discovering Vocal:

When I was a kid, I had a dream of becoming an author. I definitely went through phases where I enjoyed writing much less because I saw it only as an assignment.

I think discovering Vocal when I was in college was beneficial to me because it gave me a place to write outside of writing essays for school. It had been a while since I had written for fun.

On What Inspires Her to Create:

I’m often inspired by the simple idea that stories are powerful. In my life, I know that I have learned and grown and changed because I was exposed to stories of people who are different from me. Stories allow me to appreciate other people’s realities even though I can never fully experience them. I’m inspired by people in my life who I think are living a great story.

On Sustainability:

My journey towards living a more sustainable life has definitely been a journey because it took me a long time to understand that it truly is an issue that we need to focus on.

For a long time, I just don’t think I realized the implications of our changing climate, so I didn’t put any thought into how I was contributing to it. It’s only recently that I’ve realized how urgent this really is. It’s important to me because when we live sustainably, it’s a little act of love towards everyone who lives on the earth.

My advice would be to start acting today, not tomorrow. It can be hard to know what exactly to do but just start somewhere. Make a list of sustainable practices you can implement into your life. Chances are, at least one of them is something you can start today. You can buy reusable straws or reusable shopping bags, or maybe today is the day you can make a commitment to something. For example, I made a commitment to thrift 100% of my clothes, which, to be honest, wasn’t too hard for me since I was already such a big fan of thrifting.

On The Common Themes in Her Writing:

I think in my stories, I tend to focus on the beauty of the world, the beauty I see around me in the everyday, and the beauty I want to share with others. My fellow INFPs will probably relate to this!

I would say that I have been influenced and inspired by the fictional stories that I love. The ones that really stick with me are the ones that I see great degrees of truth in despite their fictional labels. For example, I wrote about Anne of Green Gables. She is one of the characters who I see myself in, but I strive to be more like her. What a beautiful existence it is to be filled with joy and excitement over seeing cherry trees in bloom.

On Creative Outlets She Enjoys Besides Writing:

There are many! I’ve always been into drawing and painting, and I turned my art into a little business when I was 17. I still sell on Etsy at thepresses.etsy.com, and it’s been amazing getting to share my work with my customers and find ways to grow my business over the years.

I also love cooking, and I see cooking as an art form that uses flavors as paint and plates as a canvas.

I love crafting of all kinds, just creating something with my hands. Recently I’ve been doing a lot of interior design related crafts.

And last but not least, I am passionate about video. I studied film in college, and I just think that film is such a powerful way to tell a story. I have made a few short documentaries, and I hope to continue making more.

On Cooking During Quarantine:

I’ve always liked cooking, but, like many people, I started cooking more in quarantine. Again, I think this is a common quarantine hobby, but I got really into baking bread!

Recently, I made breadsticks that I think turned out pretty delicious. Two of my favorite recipes, which I shared on Vocal, are taco dip and brown butter cookies. Yum!

On What's Keeping Her Sane During These Crazy Times:

I think running my business has really kept me sane. I’ve come up with a lot of new goals, and it’s been fun to work hard and see how I can grow my business.

Click Here for 30% OFF @ Reese's Store!

Also, spending time with my family has been important. My sister and I will almost always take some time at night to just watch an episode of TV, no matter how busy the day was.

On Challenges That Come With Being A Writer:

I think there will always be certain challenges with writing.

Writer’s block will always show up, and being vulnerable in stories will never be easy. But, writing is a muscle, and I’m glad I’ve been able to keep that muscle active.

Vocal has helped me develop my online presence just by helping me realize that there are people who are interested in what I have to say.

The first time I placed in one of the Vocal contests, I was surprised but so excited that people appreciated the story I wrote.

Her Favorite Story She's Published on Vocal:

Don’t think about it—first thing that comes to mind:

What is one thing you couldn’t live without?

My camera

Cats or dogs?

Dogs!

Favorite travel destination?

London

Day or Night?

Night

Favorite local restaurant?

RJ Grunts in Chicago

What’s your go-to late night snack?

Chocolate

What are you currently binge watching?

Dance Moms

If you could speak a new language, what would it be and why?

Italian, because I started learning it while I was studying in Italy, but I don’t feel like I got too far

Favorite story you read on Vocal by another creator?

Thank you for sharing, Reese! There's nothing that we love more at Vocal than learning about the creators who drive our platform; and you're a prime example of that.

Creator Spotlights help us to unveil the person behind the writing, and we feel so grateful to have creators like you who are willing to go the extra mile (Reese has published over 40 stories on Vocal)!

Keep up with Reese here on Vocal as well as on her Etsy Business and Instagram. Thanks again, Reese!

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About the Creator

Vocal Spotlight

Vocal Spotlight aims to highlight standout creators who are changing the world one story at a time. We're getting to know the storytellers who inspire us the most, and we can't wait for you to meet them.

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  • Jennifer Pauliabout a year ago

    Thank you very much for your post. It is clear that you have a talent for writing articles and I would like to achieve your level. Recently I read this article https://betterwritingservices.com/enl-writer-vs-esl-writer-which-one-to-choose/ and learned a lot of new things. I think in the future I will be able to create great works that will impress readers. Definitely looking forward to reading your next publications!

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