Today we’re joined by Lex. Lex is a wonderful writer who mostly writes fanfiction although they are getting back into writing original fiction as well. When they’re not writing, they love to sing and also write songs. They’re incredibly passionate about their creative endeavors, as you’ll soon read. My thanks to them for taking the time to participate in this interview.
WORK
Please, tell us about your art.
I write fanfiction and am trying to get back into general fiction writing; I have a short story I’ve been wanting to expand for a while now. I also write songs and sing.
What inspires you?
A lot. With music, I’m inspired by lyrics, God, other artists, and strong emotions. Emotions are probably my biggest inspiration since I write to either express myself or the emotions of someone else. With writing other stuff, I’m inspired by life in general and situations I and friends/family have been through. I pay attention to either unique phrases people say or anecdotes about their lives (and even mine) and wind up putting those in the stories I write.
What got you interested in your field? Have you always wanted to be an artist?
I’ve always loved music. When I was younger, I would loudly sing the Gospel songs my mom played in the car (or attempt to; I didn’t understand all the words, which my mom found hilarious); I’d even dream of singing in front of huge crowds. I’m not sure when I started to love writing, though. I remember writing random poems during class in middle school and getting excited whenever there was a creative writing assignment. I guess I have always wanted to be an artist (although I’ve mentally changed career paths many times), but I didn’t really know for sure until college. My passion for music really surged when I joined choir my senior year of high school, and songwriting kinda came along with that. My passion for fiction writing got stronger in college, too.
Do you have any kind of special or unique signature, symbol, or feature you include in your work that you’d be willing to reveal?
Not really. I guess the unique features of my art would just be how I tell the stories I write/how I word the songs I sing.
What advice would you give young aspiring artists?
Don’t stop or start now. It doesn’t matter if other people have years of experience in your field; there’s only one you. You have a unique story to tell/work to create, and no one else can do it the way you can. If you have a passion for art that just won’t go away, don’t ignore it. Pursue it. We need more beauty in this world, and you can definitely add to it.
ASEXUALITY
Where on the spectrum do you identify?
I identify as a heteroromantic asexual.
Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field? If so, how do you handle it?
Personally yes, but not really in my field. There’s definitely a lack of positive ace representation in fiction, though, which is probably due to ignorance. As far as dealing with that, I spread awareness on my blogs (mainly my ace-centered one). I haven’t written really written anything with ace characters yet, but I’ll be sure to present them positively when I do.
What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?
I think generally people just expect everyone to either have or want sex at some point in their life. Some of the people I’ve told were shocked and thought that something was wrong in a way because I don’t want sex. It’s like you’re abnormal for not wanting something supposedly everyone wants.
What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?
Remind yourself that your asexuality is valid, wherever you fall on the spectrum. It’s okay not to want sex. It’s okay if you become sexually attracted to someone later in life. It’s okay for your orientation to fluctuate at times. You don’t have to figure your sexuality out right now. You’re enough. Learn to love and accept yourself for who you are. You matter, and being ace is okay. You’re not broken, and nothing’s wrong with you. You’re just ace, and being ace is pretty great.
Finally, where can people find out more about your work?
You can find me on Tumblr at musewriter777 (personal blog) and at theacestofspaces (Christian ace blog I run). My fanfics can be found on fanfiction.net and AO3, both at Musewriter777 (my better fics are on AO3). I haven’t published my songs yet, but following either of my Tumblrs is a pretty safe bet for any updates on that. I also have a personal website that showcases some of the other works I’ve done; you can check it out at lexicolelewis.wixsite.com/muse-writer.
Thank you, Lex, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.
Asexual Artists 