Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Maggie Watson

Maggie Watson shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Maggie, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Two moments stand out for me this year.
Being awarded both Publication and Author of the Month by Spillwords Press.
These are things I never dared to dream when I first began writing.
They are like winning an Oscar.
I was extremely proud, but not in a conceited way (I am a very quiet unassuming person)

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am an Indie Author/Poet from Scotland.
I am also a Domestic Abuse Survivor.
My writing journey began by accident at the start of the Pandemic in 2020.
I was basically writing down my thoughts to try and stay sane (lol).
At that point I had no idea that writing would then play such a huge part in my life as it does now.
My last two collections of poetry were written as part of my healing journey after surviving abuse.
In Pieces of Me, I took the reader through some quite raw verses because I needed my voice to be heard.
My abuse was emotional (gaslighting) for nearly two decades.
During that time, I learned to stay silent to keep the peace!
I have recently published Wallflower, which follows on from Pieces of Me.
I felt it was important that people see how far I have come, and also for them to know, I still struggle with a lot of things.
It is not a weakness to show your vulnerability, and I have absolutely no problem doing so!
Both these collections were also written with the hope of letting those who have been or still are in a similar situation, that there is hope!
I also wanted to give them the courage to tell their story.
Abuse is a societal crisis which is still taboo in many circles.
It is a disease often passed down through generational trauma and if I can help one person by giving them the strength to leave an abusive partner, I am happy!

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
Lack of communication breaks bond as does dishonesty.
Always be upfront and honest with people and don’t blow smoke up their ass just to make them feel good!
Sometimes you need to listen.
I think listening is very important.
Don’t ever lie to me!
If I have screwed up, tell me!
I can’t read minds.
Giving someone the silent treatment is childish.
Always follow through on your words!
I don’t think you can repair a broken bond but I guess it depends on the situation!

When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
Writing has been a huge outlet for writing about my pain.
I don’t think anyone should hide their pain ever, but I know many do.
It damages your mind and your body.
I read somewhere recently that abuse causes brain damage, I can believe that!
When I first started writing, I held back on the painful stuff, I don’t anymore.
If you don’t like what I write, scroll past it and don’t buy my books!
It is my job to raise awareness of Domestic Abuse as much as I can.
That is where my power comes from.
I am not healed and I don’t pretend to be, but I am not broken either!
In a world built on fake beauty it is brave to tell your story warts and all, I have no problem with it.
I AM WHO I AM.
I salute every survivor of abuse who has the courage to do so.
Anyone that views our words as ugly should remove the rose tints from their glasses.
Society is ugly with its unrealistic ideologies of how we should look.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
It is, unless you saw me first thing in the morning (lol)
I don’t do fake.
I can’t fake anything.
I have a You tube Channel which I have had for many years.
It has never really grown, but that is not the point I am coming to!
Way back, when I first started making videos, I used to stutter and stammer through each one.
I have gone on You Tube crying (because I am real).
I am as down to earth as it gets.
The spotlight is not for me thank you very much!
I call myself an introvert, but I am not if I feel comfortable with you (and that takes time with me)

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What light inside you have you been dimming?
I think I still dim my light a lot, even after the wins I had with regards to my writing.
I never want to be so far up my own ass that if I was chocolate I would eat myself.
I don’t pat myself on the back, I find that easier to do for others.
I have come a long way since my abuse, but there are things that I still need to work on.
Regardless of my abuse, I believe we should always remain humble!
Life can change in the blink of an eye.
Fame and fortune don’t make you better than anyone else.
BEING HUMAN is what matters!

Contact Info:

Image Credits
The images for Pieces of Me were taken from Unsplash ( Valizar Ivanov)

The image for Wildflower was also taken from Unsplash (Isi Parente)

The “Little Girl” image is me, my own photograph.

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Highlighter Series
Local Highlighter Series

We are so thrilled to be able to connect with some of the brightest and

Highlighter Series
Who taught you the most about work?

Society has its myths about where we learn – internships, books, school, etc. However, in

Highlighter Series
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?

We asked some of the wisest people we know what they would tell their younger