My story
"How can someone write so dully about such an interesting trip?"
With these words from a classmate, my first tentative experiment with creative writing in adulthood came to an end.
I was living in the UK and dreamed of contributing travel stories to Finnish newspapers. However, as is my nature, I wanted to study the subject first, so I enrolled in a prestigious travel writer's training course. It didn't work out well.
As a child, I wrote poems and stories with the omnipotence of a little person. But in my school years, my kind, conscientious self, the perfectionist, took over.
I defined myself as a thing-pear, with no creativity flowing through my veins. My work as a translator of factual texts further reinforced this blocked belief, and the final straw came from the aforementioned course mate, whose feedback led me to classify myself as a boring and clumsy writer. The worst thing was that the instructor did not intervene in any way and did not give any guidance on feedback at all. We were at our own mercy, at each other's mercy.
Fifteen years later, after a happy coincidence, I found myself in a creative writing workshop run by writer Taija Tuominen.
Taija's simple, liberating writing exercises and listening presence worked wonders. The gracious and warm atmosphere of the group also had an impact. I can still remember the moment when the locks in my mind clicked open. I scribbled in my notebook as if it were the last day. And that's not all! I, who would never have imagined doing such a thing on a moonlit day, volunteered to read two of my texts aloud.
That day, 21 February 2015, was a turning point.
It was the day I found my voice. My larger mission slowly began to become clearer.
Since 2015, I have had the opportunity to work on texts both alone and with people who read and write together. My work as a word arts and literacy therapist has been successful as I find you perceive the magic and life-changing power of words more deeply.
You may remember me as Eilabert, and after my rebrand in March 2023, I will be waving my magic wand of wordsmithing with women and mothers at life's turning points.
I want to share the same joy of finding the magic of words in the gentle creative writing groups of the Word Keeper.
Who's the spokesperson?
The proverb was born when Eilabertta wanted to focus specifically on women and mothers at turning points in their lives.
I wave my wand of the Wordholder in the middle of a roller coaster of emotions: I want to show you the magic of words in its twists and turns, its ups and downs, and even its conflicting emotions, from fear to abysmal love and from guilt to immense joy.
I was born into a literate family. The real spark of playing with language and words in me was ignited by my dear grandmother Ellu, who wrote hundreds of poems, plays, songs and newspaper articles during her lifetime.
Grandma Ellu is the strong woman in my life, who held on tightly to her literary hobbies and her work throughout her life. Oh, if only my Grandma Ellu had had her own Messenger... or perhaps my cloak of honour and my ability to influence the women of my time is an over-generational legacy.
When I was little,
Grandma used to tell me old folk tales and stories of her own invention, the most beloved of which were the adventures of Annie Bear and Granny Bear. These characters she also immortalised in the poem she wrote for me and in the main text of the poem:
Annamarini,
we already have many fairy tales,
many songs
and many poems
and more we will invent,
together you and me,
Anni-bear and granny-bear!
Grandma is no longer telling me fairy tales. But the memories of her and the moments we spent together will stay with me. They inspire me as I help you find yourself and the words of your life!
Find out how Sananholtija appears in the media
Me in ten verses
1) My role in this world
is to help you free yourself from the shackles of your inner critic and act as your guide on your journey into the fabulous world of words, poems and stories.
When you find your story, recognise your voice and are encouraged to use it, I have succeeded in my work.
2) As a guide
I am approachable, encouraging and inspiring.
I put my whole personality, my history, my life experiences, my strengths and weaknesses at stake.
I also want to help you find your own adion and live accordingly.
I firmly believe that as our authentic selves, each of us is good enough.
3) Curiosity
is one of my core traits. I constantly want to learn more about life, the world, myself and the industry I work in.
I also encourage you to look at the world with curiosity and an open mind.
4) Important to me
to do work that matters and that allows me to help my fellow human beings and to contribute to building a kinder and more compassionate world today.
5) In addition to word art and literary therapy
I edit fiction and write magazine and online articles not only about my own field, but also about wider literary and cultural issues, management, business and entrepreneurship.
6) You can order from me
a creativity-unlocking or empowering and energising workshop or lecture for, for example, a planning or recreation day for your company or association.
I also offer training in the application of literary therapy and word arts methods for teachers and librarians, for example.
7) My basic education is
FM from the University of Helsinki, where I majored in Estonian language and culture.
I graduated as a word art instructor from Kuopio Snellman Summer University in 2016.
I graduated as a literary therapy counsellor from the University of Helsinki Education and Development Services HY+ and the Finnish Literary Therapy Association's literary therapy counsellor training in 2019.
I am currently training to become a scuba diving instructor at the Scuba Diving Factory.
8) Asun
with my family in a yellow front house in Espoo, but my roots are deep in the clay soil of the Six Nations.
My favourite place at home is the sofa in the library room, where I lounge reading under a square blanket my mother crocheted from her grandmother's squares.
9) I was born
at the time of apple blossom. My own season is early summer.
I love the smell of the canvas forest on a warm summer day and the smooth, sun-heated rock under my bare feet.
10) I could live
with ice cream and champagne.
I could spend my days wandering around cafés and art museums.
In addition to reading and writing, I enjoy singing in choirs, organising and culture in all its forms.
I often get the best ideas on foot. In fact, it's my favourite form of exercise.
It would be nice to get to know you in return!
Do we exchange ideas on social media?