Writing is an art, a form of self-expression and creativity, representing a language in a tactile or visual way. Some people observe it as an idea organization, thematic development, diction and syntax which extends across many disciplines and is extremely conceptual. But the main aspect of writing common to all is that it requires imaginative thinking, creativity, aesthetics and style, and the abstract ideas of the writer should have a purpose for a potential audience. Just as an artist who uses his paint brush to exhibit his feelings through every stroke on the canvas, a writer through his words, expresses his feelings, thoughts, opinions, and ideas to create a beautiful piece of manuscript. Writing is not restricted to any specific genre, form or function and the writers have the liberty to choose from a variety of options.
One may also assume writing as a mystical skill that only few people possess. In order to create a masterpiece, a writer should have the grit, perseverance, cognitive ability, the required skillset and the ability to bend ideas and words in such a way that they truly complement each other. Writing is an object of persistence and craftsmanship of a writer which is honed through constant practice and critical thinking. One extremely skilled, talented and experienced writer who has made his mark is Thierry Jean Sagnier. Sagnier is a Franco-American published author, writer and, a fiction and non-fiction novelist. His birthplace is Paris, France but he later migrated with his family to Virginia, United States where he spent most of his childhood. He hails from a family of writers; therefore, he too developed an interest in writing at a very young age. The stepping stone of Sagnier’s writing career was when he was hired as a contributing editor at the Washington Magazine. He then worked as a columnist for Swiss Journal de Geneve and Canada’s Le Devoir and also joined World Bank as a senior writer to write bank’s projects in developing countries. During his time at the World Bank, Sagnier travelled around many countries and wrote newspaper articles, magazine, documentary films and radio scripts about development issues. Sagnier has also written a blog Epiphanettes.
Throughout his writing career, Sagnier has published and wrote nine books which include Bike! Motorcycles and the People Who Ride Them (1974), The IFO Report” (1983), Washington at Night (1995), Writing About People, Places and Things (2013), Thirst (2015), The Fortunate Few (2016), L’Amérique (2018), Montparnasse (2019) andDope, the sequel to Thirst (2020). His works have been published on notable platforms such as Washington Post in United States as well as around the world. Sagnier also launched tours for his two published novels, Thirst and L’Amérique. Sagnier’s short story, Lunch with the General and Montparnasse earned him nominations for the Pushcart Prize and Pulitzer Prize in fiction in 2013 and 2019, respectively.
Sagnier later developed a passion for music as well and has created and composed various short films for Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. He has written, composed and sang many songs in English and French such as “God Bless Me.” Sagnier has also written plays for D.C area, which were performed by TADA Theater in New York, and was also featured by the East End Fringe Festival in New York. He also joined a non-profit organization Cancer Can Rock which gives musicians who are diagnosed with cancer with an opportunity to share their music globally.
Sagnier has achieved immense recognition through his contributions in writing and music industry despite battling cancer twice. His commitment, motivation, and determination has helped him achieve great heights in his career. Sagnier is an example for not only aspiring writers but also for every person who wants to achieve his set goals in life despite all odds.
