Spotlight On Writers – Maggie Watson

Maggie Watson·June 29, 2024

English Q&A Authors Poetry

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Spotlight On Writers

Maggie Watson

Where do you originate from?

I was born in Cape Town, South Africa. My father was a Merchant Seaman (Scottish) who fell in love with my mother on one of his trips. We left South Africa when I was five years old to come to Scotland. Sadly, I have no recollection of my birth country, only a photograph of me with Table Mountain in the background. I have no plans to visit my country of birth, but, as they say, never say never.

What do you cherish most about the place you call home?

I lived in Edinburgh until eight years ago (though most people think I am Glaswegian when they hear my accent). Edinburgh, like most big cities, has good parts and bad. I now live in a small seaside town outside of Edinburgh. I am closer to nature, with a beach and river within walking distance. Mostly, I cherish the peace of my surroundings. Peace is such a hard thing to find at times in this fast-paced world.

What ignites your creativity?

Anything and everything ignites my creativity.
I write a lot of heartfelt poetry, as well as raw poetry.
I base a lot of my writing on my life experiences (I am a domestic abuse survivor), although my last collection was entirely about love.
I do find it hard to write “beautiful” poetry.
I prefer to read “Real” because, as we know, life is not a fairytale and can be a rollercoaster sometimes.
I also believe we should write it as we feel it.
That is what I have always done.
Prompts have their use, but I prefer to write from my heart and soul.

Do you have a favorite word and could you incorporate it into a poetic phrase?

I don’t have a favourite word. However, my favourite expression is, “It is what it is.” I feel it sums up so many different things in life. We worry and stress too much over situations out of our control. There are things we can never change (no matter how much we would prefer a different outcome). We should focus on ourselves more by becoming the best version we can be (not to impress, but to be proud of our achievements). I know I have gone off on a tangent here.

What is your pet peeve?

My father was “old school.” I feel now that the values and moral codes he lived by are sadly dead. There is a complete lack of humanity in this world. I blame social media for much of it (I am not a fan). Everyone wants fame, money or status. Or to be admired and adored. I am glad I spent my childhood running around outside when the internet and mobile phones did not exist.

How would you describe the essence of Maggie Watson?

I am a warrior (but not a fighter). I am a music lover who has tattoos. I am a survivor who is still trying to heal. I am the woman who has clawed her way out of the darkness of being in an abusive relationship. Now, I am a solo traveller and the author of five collections of poetry (self-published). I am a strong woman who values her peace more than anything. I like to think my story inspires others.

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Maggie Watson

Maggie was born in Cape Town, South Africa. She now lives in Scotland. She has CFS which is a very debilitating/unpredictable illness. She began writing in 2020 at the start of the Pandemic. At that point, she had no idea it would play such a huge part in her life as it does now! In 2021 she self-published her first collection of poetry and has since self-published three others. Her writing is now much more diverse than when she began. Maggie draws a lot on her life experiences when writing, so her poems can be raw. But she feels that makes her work more relatable to the reader. Maggie is also a volunteer at Barnardo's in UK. She enjoys walks in nature and solo travel.