by Antonia Rainey | WeINSPIRE Journalist

AUSTIN, Texas — Originally from Hopkins, South Carolina, Neal knew she was always a writer ever since she was five. Writing was a passion Neal could never get rid of, and as she grew older, it became a way to express herself.

From Aspiring Teacher to Writer

While Neal had dreams of becoming a writer, she didn’t pursue it initially. Teaching was originally Neal’s goal. Neal would follow in her father’s footsteps, a retired high school teacher of 40 years. 

“We both loved the youth, and I knew that my gift was writing, and that's actually what I really wanted to pursue, but I let him influence me and people close to me saying that you know, ‘You're not gonna make any money off of writing like that's not stable,’” Neal said.

As a result, Neal went to get her South Carolina Department of Education certificate to become an elementary school teacher. For ten years, she took the Praxis II Subject Assessment, which measures knowledge of specific subjects that K-12 educators will teach, as well as general and subject-specific teaching skills. Unfortunately, Neal failed the Praxis II Subject Assessment a total of ten times. On her last try, that was when it clicked for her: writing was meant for her, not teaching.

“When I failed the Praxis II exam to try to get certified for the 10th time, that was my breaking point, and that was my turning point as well because I was like, ‘Okay, what do I do now? I've been dedicating my life to this.’ But, I knew in my heart that writing was what I needed to be pursuing. And I finally took that leap of faith,” Neal said.

Sharing Her Dream to the Youth

In March 2020, at 31-years-old, Neal started her children’s book series, “Lynn Learns Lessons.” Neal’s story ideas are usually written down on paper before being transported to her computer and she takes inspiration from both experiences in her life and the youth that she interacts with.

In June 2021, Neal donated the money from her children’s books series to nonprofit organizations for children and teenagers throughout South Carolina. So far, she has contributed to three nonprofits, with one being the Boys & Girls Club of the Midlands, where she voluntarily read her children's books this summer to the kids.

In June 2021, Neal donated the money from her children’s books series to nonprofit organizations for children and teenagers throughout South Carolina. So far, she has contributed to three nonprofits, with one being the Boys & Girls Club of the Midlands, a facility in which she’s volunteered.

In July, Neal started a local South Carolina book tour to bring more awareness to nonprofits she wished to help, leading her to that very same Boys and Girls Club. Neal read two of her books to the Boys and Girls Club’s nine facilities throughout that month. Moreover, it was there where she shared her dream and heard the dreams from the children, even after when she was running out to stay. 

“Oh my goodness! There was times that I feel like I was going to cry because I had kids afterward, saying, ‘Oh, you didn't get my dream. This is my dream. This is what I'm going to do.’ And I said, ‘You know what, I believe in your dream!’” Neal said.

The Next Generation Inspires Neal to Step Out

In July that same year, Neal, taking inspiration from hearing the children at the Boys and Girls Club at Midlands saying their dreams, goes out of her comfort zone and signs up for the York Story Slam competition.

The York Story Slam is an open mic event that is held every month, and participants tell a true story based on that month’s theme. The event happened virtually in York, Pennsylvania, with the theme being Great Escapes. When the event starts, Neal is the first one to go.

At first, Neal felt some pressure. But, having gone to the seventh Boys and Girls Club facility at Bethel-Hanberry Elementary earlier that day, Neal remembered the dreams the children had so fearlessly told her, and it gave her courage. 

“I feel like they [the children] gave me that boost. So because of them, I was like, ‘I can't tell them to put themselves out there and not be afraid if I don't do it,” Neal said.

The Next Big Steps

If there is one thing Neal says to anyone scared of pursuing their dream, it’s that it’s never too late to take a leap of faith.

“Oftentimes, as we get older, we think, ‘Well, I can't do this. Now my time has passed. You know, I had this dream. But, you know, my time has passed.’ But you have to remember that if it's in you—and this is what I told the youth—if your dream is real for you, you can achieve it.”

Now 32-years-old, Neal plans to release eight more books to complete her ten-book series, “Lynn Learns Lessons” and donate to more nonprofits outside of South Carolina by next year. 

For more information on Traci Neal and her writing career, visit her website at tracinealspeakerpoet.com.

All Images Courtesy of Traci Neal