Anna Bielkheden

I’ve been fascinated with the power of words for as long as I can remember, and I began crafting stories as soon as I learned how to write. 

Precocious as I was, many of my first short stories had a moral message and they were always very character driven.

I was also drawn to darker stories that didn't match my age at all. When I was 10, I had this kind of ongoing novel about male murder detective with a  drinking problem. At 16, I wrote my first very bold and raunchy screenplay about a lost teenage girl who becomes a stripper after being betrayed by her boyfriend. To date I've written a full novel, a poetry collection, two feature scripts and one pilot script. 

While I’ve always been a writer in one form or another, I’ve also worn a billion other hats throughout the years. Among other things, I spent two years in drama school, worked as a TV and photography makeup artist, started five businesses, ran a fitness studio, and developed my own award winning cosmetics line.

In hindsight, I can see how my restless curiosity and need to constantly create new things has contributed to me becoming a more versatile writer. In fact, my other experiences are what led to where I am today.  My work history led to my own monthly health and beauty magazine column, which in turn landed me my first job as a branding and marketing agency copywriter. 

Many creative writers find the idea of writing copy unenticing and separate from what they do, but I've come to view it differently. The way I see it, copywriting has taught me how to capture unique voices and convey a clear message that resonates with multiple perspectives.  Ultimately, I believe the ability to really connect with your audience is the most important skill one can master as a storyteller and screenwriter.