Conversations with Tia Scott

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tia Scott.  

Hi Tia, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve been writing since I was in the 5th grade. I actually still have my very first journal where I wrote down all the thoughts and events happening in my young world. A teacher at Bunche Elementary School named Mrs. Lowe encouraged the class to write down at least one paragraph a day about how we felt and the things we were experiencing, and after a month of doing so, I felt a connection to writing. Even as a kid, writing felt like more than just a class assignment — it felt like my calling. As I got older and began to pick up more hobbies, writing was still at the core of it all, including the comic books I drew by hand and sold for a dollar a pop in the 6th grade at Civic Park Elementary School. Although I was heavily into drawing cool characters at that moment, the part that actually kept me engaged was the art of storytelling. 

Fast-forward to my early 20s in the early-2000s, I started a blog called “Diary of a Weird Black Girl” and went by the pen-name Olivia Brown. I toyed around with long-form writing and focused on the things that mattered to me like music, poetry, and issues going on in my hometown. I especially liked writing about the music coming out of Flint, so I transitioned my blog into an official music blog and changed the name to The Dope Show. From 2008 until 2017, I was off and on with this particular blog as I highlighted independent music artists across the globe and threw live artist showcases at a local art gallery, the Greater Flint Arts Council (GFAC), which gave a stage and safe space to local music artists and creatives. It felt great but it was tough because it was just me doing all of the writing, planning, marketing, promoting, everything. I moved to Los Angeles, CA in late-2016 for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity where I learned the ins and outs of the music business. It was also when I decided that that business is honestly not for me. I witnessed some things that made me yearn for the realness of home although my hometown was currently going through a national water crisis. After living in Cali for about two years, I moved to Arizona to close the gap in my then-long-distance relationship and to find peace from the chaos of Cali. 

From there, I started personal blogs on Medium.com and Substack.com where I specifically wrote about Flint issues. My writing caught the attention of Patrick Hayes, the previous editor of Flintside.com, who reached out to see if I would like to contribute to the hyper-local online newspaper. I quickly joined the team in September 2020 and began reporting about the community of Flint, although I was living in Arizona. A year later, I decided to move back to Flint, and after a month or so, Patrick asked if I would like to step into his role, and he was leaving Flintside for a growth opportunity. I nervously accepted the role as Managing Editor and have been leading the Flintside team since October 2021. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Writing has always been smooth for me because it’s one of my God-given gifts, but cultivating that gift is where the blood, sweat, and tears came in. I’ve taken so many classes and read countless books throughout my life to work on my vocabulary and grammar skills. This means I missed out on a lot of things that were going on like partying with friends and making time for loved ones. I’ve taken expensive college journalism courses where I was completely lost and felt like writing wasn’t for me, and I’ve attended free writing workshops that brought out the true writer in me. It’s amazing how much it takes to find your voice as a writer. 

I’ve had my writing copied and ideas stolen. I’ve experienced more than a few freelance clients disappearing after I sent an invoice. I’ve experienced putting work out there that I just knew was going to do well only to get no views, clicks, nothing. It felt like there were so many scenarios that could have deterred me from using my gift, but like everything in life, you really have to keep going to see things through. The bad things that happen in life are a part of the growth process and help build your character. It hasn’t been easy, but it’s definitely been worth it. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I am the current Managing Editor of Flintside.com, a hyper-local online news publication that’s exclusive to the city of Flint, Michigan. In my role, I manage a team of writers who produce amazing stories about the people and community of Flint. Throughout the week, I assign, edit and write stories while also running Flintside’s social media accounts to keep our audience abreast of events and issues going on in the city. 

Aside from my work at Flintside, I also produce and sell notebooks and journals through my book publishing company, Tia Media LLC. You can find the notebooks on Amazon, my own website tiathewriter.com, and at Comma Bookstore & Social Hub in downtown Flint. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tiathewriter.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tia_the_writer/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiathewriter/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tia_The_Writer
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@tia_the_writer
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/tiasco

Image Credits
Visuals by Nik