S. Thompson Williams
My name is Sam. I write things. Sometimes people pay me for it. I've excelled at writing and been passionate about the written word as long as I can remember. In the 2nd grade, I wrote a poem called "Hightops: A Modern Wonder of the World" that won me a blue ribbon in the school's yearly art contest. I had the ribbon hanging up in my room until I moved out of my parents' house at 18. It's packed away in a box somewhere at this point and I couldn't quote you the poem if you put me on the spot, but I like thinking that it was an early sign of what I would do with my adult life.
While I had some great English teachers in high school, my real writing education began at East Carolina University. After starting out as a Communications major, I took a poetry writing class on a lark during a summer session and the professor talked me into switching to English with a Creative Writing concentration. After graduation, I went back home for a few months and tried to teach English to 8th graders. The plan was always to teach college though, so I returned to ECU to work towards my Master's. Being a Master's student at ECU was great. I loved the camaraderie and shared knowledge I gained by working with other students and faculty. I finished all of my coursework within a few semesters, but the job market was looking grim and I was offered a full-time managerial position at the retail store where I'd been working, so I left ECU without my Master's degree. I still regret not finishing on some level, but I'm proud of my work since then and happy with where my life has taken me.
When I'm not writing, I like to read, unsurprisingly. I'm pretty passionate about quality television and film as well, but spending time with my gorgeous wife takes precedence. I'm active in my church and community and I have a niece and nephew who are learning to play catch. Some of my favorite authors include: Tim O'Brien, David Foster Wallace, Margaret Atwood, Raymond Carver, Chuck Klosterman, J.D. Salinger, and Brian K. Vaughan.
About
As a writer, I'm interested in any kind of freelance work you can throw at me. My day job QA and Documentation for a software company called Jenzabar. I write fiction, creative nonfiction, and sometimes poetry in my spare time. I blog about pop culture and politics among other topics. My primary speciality is sales copy and product descriptions, but I'm well versed in many writing styles and eager for new challenges.
Photo by Rampant Photo
