Meet Savannah Jade | Author & Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Savannah Jade and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Savannah, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
I think oftentimes societal norms apply additional pressures in regards to working. The constant work, work, work, no rest attitude, although great when one is passionate about their career, can sometimes drain you of enjoying life and doing well in your field. After awhile of experiencing many instances of burnout, I’ve really challenged myself to find time to recharge whether that’s going on hikes, heading to the ocean and diving in, or simply reading a book that’s been left unread on a shelf for far too long. I really think finding that balance is crucial to improving in any field of work, and even moreso for those that lean on the creative side as living life can sometimes be where the inspiration stems from.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As a writer, you don’t make much money, you certainly aren’t the only writer out there, and oftentimes, you will inevitably share incredibly personal details and feelings about pretty much everything. I think part of the reason my work spread so quickly and stood out for many people online was that I have a certain candid, gritty, share-your-soul type of style. Many times, my “poems” are actually prose that reflect journal entries, except plenty of them rhyme and can be read aloud like spoken word. All anyone really craves, even if they have an introverted or avoidant personality, is connection. And when you’re willing to share what keeps you up at night, the difficult childhood upbringing, the metaphorical and physical open wounds you carry, the heartbreaks, the setbacks, the failures you’ve experienced, it makes people feel less alone. Our experiences may be vastly different, but our emotions surrounding hard topics can sometimes be familiar and comforting. If there’s any main struggle I’ve experienced at least with my work, it’s the fear of oversharing because anyone I know can simply look me up and read my heart. It’s terrifying, but one of the greatest lessons I’ve learned from doing this is that life is terrifying. Sometimes, the only way to evolve, change, and grow is to take those scary steps and to keep doing it despite how the world may respond. I want my readers to remember that the world is huge- so please, take up space and keep doing it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Whew! That’s an easy hard one. I’m almost a little selfish with my favorite spots because they’re not as well known, but since this is hypothetically for my best friends, I’ll share a few. I would absolutely take them to Cafe Veronese Gardens & Gallery in downtown Fullerton. It’s a small business with such a chill vibe. That place is so damn cool. it’s outdoors, has a piano, couches, various tables, they offer blankets and have buzzers by each seating area to call for the staff to order. Really awesome place to relax and catch up with friends. If they wanna experience a nice scenery and/or sunrise, I would probably take them to Table Rock Beach in Laguna. If they want to hike, I would take them to Sturtevant Falls in the Los Angeles Forest and take a slight detour on the trail to show them a big pool we can jump off rocks and go swim in.
To be frank, I find every type of scene- the outdoors, cities, rooftop bars, cafes, food places, etc., to be super fun and exciting, so I’d have to say planned trips with a dash of spontaneity and a sense of exploration and adventure is what really makes time with your friends enjoyable.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Oh boy. I would certainly not have been able to accomplish publishing my book or starting my writing career at such a young age without the help of my stepfather Frank Jurado, the encouragement and criticism from my teachers growing up, and of course the supporters I have online on social media. My stepfather directed me to a publishing agency where I initially published my volume of poetry. Without that resource thrown my way, I may not have pursued publishing at all. I also have to thank Mr. Nathan Painter, Mrs. Shannon Belknap, and Ms. Marjorie Blevins as these brilliant teachers offered much support and greatly improved my ability to analyze hard texts and mimic that depth with my own writings. And I can’t ever ignore the amount of support and encouragement from my followers on Instagram. Many of them offered hands to hold when I was tired of gripping my pen. Without that online family, I probably would have stopped sharing my art and writings a long time ago. In fact, many supporters left roses on my works which led to me naming my book Began With A Rose in order to express my gratitude.

Website: www.jadepoetry.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/jadepoetry

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/savannah-jade-m-071b0b143/

Image Credits
Ocean image: Nathan Tecson All other landscape travel images: Edwing Lionel