I wouldn’t say I ever decided to be an author. I still struggle defining myself as such, because it doesn’t feel real. I’ve been telling stories since I knew what a story was, and have always felt a deep, internal need to build worlds and characters. This is what I’ve wanted to do for most of my sentient life and it’s a privilege to live this reality. I know I’d be writing stories even if no one else was reading them, but it’s nice that people do. I decided to pursue screenwriting in college because I did and still do love movies more than most people love anything. Applying to film schools was a scary choice, and every step afterwards seemed even scarier, but the risk has been worth it so far. Luckily, screenwriting and prose-writing are pretty interchangeable in my mind. The bones are the same, the elements of story remain constant. The difference is largely format, and I’m lucky to be able to work in both.