Supporting local authors is a great way to uplift our community. The passion and creativity showcased often rivals large-scale publishing companies and fosters a unique relationship between the author and their readers.
As a burgeoning writer fully immersed in the local arts scene, Columbus resident Signe Damron has dedicated the last 25 years to building her craft.
Arriving in Ohio at a young age, Damron turned to creative writing following a traumatic brain injury. Experimenting with poetry and short story writing led her to a greater understanding of the intersections of fiction and reality.
“I write because it’s fun,” said Damron. “It feeds my soul and allows me to express how I feel about the world around me.”
An avid storyteller, Damron pays rapt attention to the world around her, allowing herself to be open to different perspectives and poetic influences. Most times, her observation consists of mundane moments like watching people at the bar or an autumn day walk. While these may initially seem unimportant, these moments serve to ground her and ultimately inspire her.
Through engaging with the world, Damron has been led to various insights on what it means to be human; in particular, on the nature of human connection and the significance of storytelling.
“I think that poetry… does a good job of disarming people to be open to different truths,” Damron said. “And as a poet, I also want to be able to like, share truth, whether it’s my truth or truth of the world.”
To say Damron’s experience in sharing truth has been entirely positive would be an understatement. Her first published book, “French Door to Foyer,” came to be following a traumatic experience with sexual assault. In her journey towards healing, she was encouraged to write, with each poem enabling her to process her feelings, find growth and ultimately encounter a love for the unexpected.
“I feel like on a subconscious scale, a lot of people are tired of being used, but it is very common in our culture for people to say ‘what do you do for a living’ with the instincts of ‘what can you do for me?’” said Damron. “And even though that’s not always stated in that way, I think that people are on guard.”
In light of her experiences, Damron has used her work to build her sense of self and further her desire to share her curiosity about the world. A love of adventure is present in most of her work, with the core theme of her book being the perspective of a person peering through glass French doors. This is a way of observing, with stepping into the foyer signifying entering something new; and exiting the room signifying embarking on new adventures.
Through her work, Damron has found a supportive and engaging community.
“I enjoy being an artist in this community because of how they lift you up. That’s one of my favorite things about the creative industry,” Damron said. “There are some people that are competitive, of course, but it’s more of a very encouraging community.”
Following the publishing of her first book, Damron has founded a publishing company. The company has hosted several events partnering writers and artists and also has appeared at multiple local events, such as Bexley’s annual Brewfest.
Damron has even shared her work with the university. In November, she gave a talk and Q&A session with the Creative Writing Club on her book, writing style and personal creative spin. Following that event, she participated in the ReCap Open Mic Night on Nov. 27, reciting several poems from her book.
Through both of these avenues, Damron has been able to further fulfill her desire to spread her message of truth and connection.
Damron’s influence is prevalent within the Columbus community. Her passion extends beyond writing poetry and into inspiring others to similarly look for the beauty in even the most mundane of details. Through remaining open to the world around us, we remain open to the stories and truths of those around us.
“How I write is very much storytelling and I like how much we learn from stories,” said Damron. “I’m obsessed with stories. I’m obsessed with how, like, human beings are obsessed with stories and sharing them and I love how I can captivate a person or an audience by something that I have to say or something that I’ve experienced. Or something I’m curious about and want to share.”
