If you, like a big part of today’s youth, have passed some considerable amount of time on the social media app tik tok, you might have stumbled upon some interesting videos. In fact, for today’s youth, tik tok is quickly becoming an outlet for their creativity. While browsing the famous for your page you might have stumbled upon an interesting video of someone, writing on a typewriter some poetry, stories, or quotes. Curiosity led a lot of people wonder, who is behind the typewriter? I got in contact with Alex Caralyen the 16 years old aspiring writer behind the tik tok account @suchalostsoul and she was willing to answer some of our questions:
Q:when did you discover you had a passion for literature?
A:I think I have always used books and literature as a way to escape reality. It helped me find comfort that I was not given in my life. It might sound strange but it felt as if the characters were drying my tears when no one else would. Eventually I started writing my own comfort fiction, giving myself traits and characteristics that I deeply wished I had.while I was doing that, I realized that I was not that horrible at it. That I do have a certain way with words. And I started writing more and more because the positive reaction from my fellow peers gave me a sense of validation and certainly helped my rather broken ego. Then, around four years ago, I realized that this is what brings me joy. This is what I want to do with my life. I want to write, I want to tell stories and from there on, it became my passion and it has been ever since.
Q:what inspires the themes found in your writing?
A:Most of my poems, especially my most popular ones often center around two topics. One of them being wlw(a women loving women), which is inspired by my love for women and many of the topics featured in said poems are based, although loosely, on my relationships. I think back to moments I have experience with my current and past lovers and try to find a way to capture those emotions in a few words. Examples of such emotions are denial, rejection, heartbreak but also happiness, euphoria, a sense of belonging. The other topic is often catholic guilt. I bring this into my poetry because people seem to enjoy it very much and although it might sound shallow, I do quite enjoy seeing my poetry be liked and adored, I think most poets receive some sort of gratification from it. But the topic is also personal as I was raised Christian and grew up in a generally Christian country while being in two groups of people who were very oppressed by the church and still are in some parts of the world. So I carry this so-called catholic guilt or religious trauma. Generally , I just write about topics I experience myself. Anger at the world, uncontrolled rage, painful sorrow, a deep depression, intoxicating epiphany. The poems often are inspired by the emotional state I am in when I pick up the pen.
Q:what would you say is your favorite literary or artistic movement and why?
A:Romanticism. Both in literature and art. I adore it. The painting, and the art in general, just cause a feeling in me that is hard to describe. I find it very aesthetically pleasing and extremely beautiful. It also has many pretty women portrayed which is certainly positive. I enjoy the literature as well because I often find other literary movements dry in a way or rather tiring. I find myself and my style of writing more in romanticism than in anything else. My style is more inspired by texts and novels from those movements. I simply find it beautiful to read and it helps me improve my style further.
Q:What is one ambition you seek to achieve through your words?
A:I seek validation, in a way, a reminder that I do have a talent when it comes to literature because I cannot give myself enough validation, I do not think good enough of myself for that. I also want to just please people. I don’t need them to deeply analyze it or think of some deep and hidden meaning of it. I like Oscar Wilde’s concept on this topic, to just enjoy the art for the sake of enjoying it. Liking a poem because it sounds pretty and makes you feel warm inside. Hanging up a painting on your wall because you think it looks nice. Not everything has to have meaning, you can just enjoy it. I want my readers to like my poems and get some sense of joy out of them. At the same time, I hope that my reader resonates with my poetry, that the ones about heartbreak and denial and sadness make them feel heard and understood. Let the pain be a pain. Feel it. Of course, I don’t want anyone to feel negative emotions but it can help if you read something and no longer feel alone in the darkness that surrounds you.
Q:And finally, why the typewriter?
A:I have found that the typewriter is a good way to present my poems to people in video format. It interests them and the aesthetic effect of it makes them stay longer or, forgive me for the poor word choice, vibe with it more. It is boring for most people to just read it in a picture when you are expecting a video but the unusually beautiful presentation through the typewriter is what they enjoy, so I decided to stick with it. Also, I do love writing on my typewriter. I think it helps me to motivate myself to write, simply because it makes me feel more like an actual author than just a girl juggling around with words.
If you’re curious about Alex’s writing, it can be found on tik tok and Wattpad. All the necessary information can be found in her tik tok account.
golden cult 