Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Zwemer.
Hannah, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I originally moved to Orlando with a dream to perform for Walt Disney World. After I graduated from college, I took part in the Disney College Program as a Character Performer. For the following three years, I spent most of my days “hanging out” with many characters like Chip and Dale, Winnie the Pooh, Jessie, Sadness, and others who taught me so much about life, love, and just how magical a hug can be.
A year or so after I’d become a full-time Cast Member, the company rolled out a program called “Aspire” that encouraged Cast Members to pursue various educational programs. Already holding a bachelor’s degree, I investigated the various master’s programs from the many universities in the Aspire network. I applied for and eventually enrolled in Global Community Engagement because I was so inspired by the emphasis on intercultural awareness work, diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and the inherent connectedness of us all.
I was roughly a year into my degree, with still little inclination as to where I wanted it to lead when my partner sat me down to express his concern. The kind and loving, “you’re almost done with this thing; what do you plan to do with it?” caused a mini panic and a brief identity crisis before he reminded me of my love of and talent for writing.
I’d never before spent much time thinking about creating a life as a writer other than it being something that I’d always been good at and seemed to enjoy. His comment had made me pause and re-evaluate my trajectory; I realized my favorite projects and the ones I’d been best at, were always essays and other written assignments because something about sitting in front of my computer letting my words flow through my fingers made more sense than anything else in the world.
I made the decision to re-direct my focus (both in school and life) and switched my master’s to Professional Creative Writing with an emphasis in nonfiction; thanks to the classes I’d taken for my Global Studies degree, I also obtained a certificate in Culture and Diversity. I graduated in November of 2021, and lucky enough to get a writing job around the same time, I left Disney in December of the same year. I work in a digital marketing firm as a content writer in downtown Orlando, grateful that I’ve found a career path with so many options and opportunities.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, I can’t say that it has been smooth. Aside from discovering that my dream of dancing in Disney World proved to be significantly more challenging than I’d once assumed, my adolescent mind had never planned or even considered what might come next after I was done performing. Thus, when I started to have a hard time with the harsh reality of the entertainment industry, I had no idea and no prospects of a future path or career.
Luckily, I have an excellent support system in my partner, family, and friends, and I had the opportunity to explore potential options by going back to school. Even though I did not land on writing right away, I learned so much more about the world and myself and where/how I fit into it. There is lo so much I don’t know about what I’m doing and where I’m going and how I will ever get everything done, but slowly, I am learning that that’s ok and it’s all part of what makes life so fulfilling.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Funnily enough, it wasn’t until I had switched my degree and started taking classes in the creative writing department that I realized how artistic writing could be. Growing up as a dancer, I’d always clung to the label, so desperate to call myself an artist, creative. But there was something that never seemed to fit; I didn’t feel like I had the same desire or the same intensity that other dancers did. When I really dove into writing though, my inclination toward and affinity for the artistry and creativity of life and language suddenly made sense.
While in my full-time job, I write blog posts, and web pages, and news articles, all utilizing SEO principles and a professional tone/voice/style in line with my company, my passion is creative writing. Specifically, my ultimate dream is to one day write a memoir or a collection of personal essays documenting my perspective and experiences in hopes that my story can reassure and inspire others that there is no one right way to be, to live. I believe stories, particularly those of everyday, ordinary people have the power to connect and unite us in the universality of being human. I’d like to think we’re all a lot more alike than we are different.
What makes you happy?
That’s tough! So many things: creating a life with my best friend/fiancé, snuggling into bed after a long day, the way my dog’s entire body wiggles from excitement whenever I get home, quiet mornings when the sun shines through the windows and I have coffee in my hand, the smell and warm glow of candles, cozy clothes on dark rainy days, caring for my plants and watching how much they grow and change over time, all kinds of crafting and DIY… these are only a handful. Despite what my mind tells me, there is so much to be happy about and grateful for and most of it is free and easily accessible. When I’m having a hard time, I try to remember that.
Hannah is open to commission work of all kinds. You can contact her at [email protected].
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hannahzwemer.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahswrite/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-zwemer/
