Success in the Eye of the Beholder
Alexandra (Alex) Tang Su gets right to the point when asked why she sought out our Certificate Program in Creative Writing after coming across old journals from her childhood: “I always wanted to be a writer. Not for profit, but because I love storytelling.”
My next question was to tell me about the origins of her desire to tell stories, which brought her own story of perseverance to overcome self-doubt.
“Writing has always been my happy place,” Alex begins. “My whole life has been repetitive, structured and, overall, a mundane, boring existence. So I used to make fantastical stories on a whim to entertain my friends, family and myself.
“But the biggest motivating factor,” she adds, “was for one of my old friends. I didn’t know at the time, but they were being abused by their parents. That’s why I am working on a book that goes over the different types of child abuse. I am having a hard time writing about a believable child, but it's getting there.”
Before the need to write this story came to Alex, she had experienced her own childhood trauma in the form of a learning difficulty.
“I actually had a hard time learning to read and write as a child,” she admits. “I tried and tried, but I was not very adept at school work or learning. My friends had to break down and explain the words to me when we were in first grade.”
Solace came in the form of anime and graphic novels.
“I was also obsessed with cartoons and anime as a little girl,” Alex adds. “Imagine my surprise when I found out in second grade that there were books that went over more of the lore than a show could provide. My inability to read became a thing of the past. I hyperfixated on every book I could find and annoyed every adult in the nearest vicinity if there was a word I didn’t understand.
“Before I knew it, I was one of the most advanced readers in my class. So don’t let anyone tell you that cartoons and comic books will rot your brain! I started writing fan fiction before I realized that fan fiction was even a thing, and began to write my own short stories.”
Early Experiences Inform Her Stories
Pursuing a formal higher education wasn’t in Alex’s cards.
Her father suddenly passed from lung cancer after she graduated high school. So it fell to Alex to be the bread winner, putting school on hold to work at a fast food chain and tutoring at the local library through Asian Resources Inc. (ARI)’s community services. At 20 years old, she applied for an office job at a law firm, where she still works.
After two years working at the law firm she finally reached a steady financial place. “I was running on survival mode for years. No time for fun or hobbies. But I still felt stuck.
“When I found your Certificate Program in Creative Writing and realized how flexible the schedule was, I took on more jobs to pay for the courses,” Alex tells me.
Our online courses were a big benefit to Alex in helping find balance in her busy work life.
“I would work during the day, and on the weekends or at night I would do all my assignments. I intentionally picked the classes that did not clash with my work schedule and it all worked out in the end.”
Alex commends her overall learning experience: Her educational expectations met, with the help of additional online resources to help her writing skills.
“Personally, Exploring Creative Writing, Introduction to Writing Fiction, Mystery Fiction and the Writing Skills Workshop were the best for pinpointing the weaknesses in my writing,” she says.
Courses Alexandra Completed
The Craft of Writing
The Craft of Reading
Writing Skills Workshop
Mystery Fiction
The Handmaid’s Tale: Writing Dystopia, the Female Gothic and Social Commentary
Introduction to Writing Fiction
Exploring Creative Writing
Writing Genre Fiction: Science Fiction, Mystery, Romance and More
And completing the entire program gave her an academic-inspired boost.
“I wanted to go to college in any way I could,” she says. “Other online courses were fine, but UC Berkeley Extension matched my schedule better and I trusted the UC Berkeley name. It's better to put your faith in a reliable, known establishment.”
And while nothing much has changed yet in her professional life, the same cannot be said for her personal one. “I no longer get those comments about not going to college or have relatives comparing me to other successful relatives whom I have never met,” she says. “I am thankful every day for this writing certificate. My life has become 10 times more peaceful since obtaining it.”
If you find yourself in a similar place in life and need some motivation to take that critical first step to furthering your education or personal interests, Alex offers this:
“If you are serious about being a writer and you are on the fence about college at this time, these courses can really help you. If you are absolutely going to be a writer no matter what—and you want to learn the basics of writing a book and learning where to get resources—this is the certificate program for you.”
