While many infants are locked in a trance staring at light up toys, Withness had his nose in a picture book. It didn’t end there. As he became a pre-teen Harry Potter became a popular selection and he devoured those books followed by Percy Jackson. Before his teenage years it was obvious, he wanted to be a writer. Rather than being out riding bikes and hitting a rock with a stick like other boys of his age, Withness soon filled file after file on his laptop with short stories. As a simple test of intelligence, he decided to turn one of those short stories into a novel. Recently as a 16 year old boy he completed this challenge turned novel. His creativity tends to flow more actively early morning or late at night, but he will take any opportunity to express himself regardless of the time.
I mentioned in the title of this article Withness is a multi-genre author. He covers mystery, romance, and even action. When he was a child his desire to make everyone feel blessed and happy prompted him to want to be a priest. He feels it important to free others of anger and depression brought on by life. He directed these desires into his writing. Reaching a larger variety of people through his stories he can create happiness and the much needed escape from the fears and sadness that spreads through our times.
Withness can be found reading, swimming, or writing story inspired poetry if he’s not glued to his laptop creating his latest work. He tells me Jeremy Malusi, Peter J. Berman, Stephen Carner, Mathew W. Fenn, and Eric Klingenberg, who are fellow authors, support him in his writing ventures but shared these were only a handful of the many from the writing community that offer support. His friends can often be found cheering him on as well, encouraging him to keep going.
As someone who suffers depression, Witness finds writing to be both the challenge he needs and the release he requires. Having something to do each day that he loves moves him to get up each day and make a go of it no matter how hard it may be otherwise. He has support with his depression but tells me that those around him have a huge impact on his never give up attitude. His compilation of works may be quite lengthy but the one he loves the most is The Chosen Royalies: The Dawn of Prince David. Other authors and Beta readers often find Withness’s writing to be engaging and beyond the capabilities of his young age. Currently his works are geared toward teens and young adults, though this may change as he continues to grow up and his thought process matures.If you’d like to learn more about Witness give him a follow on Instagram @withnessm.
Elizabeth's Writing Corner 
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