I would that I might with the minstrels sing
and stir the unseen with a throbbing string.
I would be with the mariners of the deep
that cut their slender planks on mountains steep
and voyage upon a vague and wandering quest,
for some have passed beyond the fabled West.
— J.R.R. Tolkien, Mythopoeia
Welcome to The Hopeful Wanderer
The Hopeful Wanderer is a blog by Zach J. Payne, sharing poems and stories and the everyday thoughts of a wandering writer.
Zach J. Payne is a thespian, poet, and novelist, born and raised in Southern California. With a focus on writing for young adults, he wants to show all of the other lost and lonely kids in the world that there’s a place for them in the world and that their voices matter. While still in high school, Zach ran anti-bullying and creative writing seminars, including for the City of Santa Fe Springs. In 2009, he was honored with the Cool Kids Award from ABC7 News.
As an adult, Zach has continued to hone his theatrical and writing chops. He has self-published several collections of poetry. He was a mentee of the 2015/2016 SCBWI Nevada Mentor program, working on his debut novel with Heather W. Petty. He was formerly a query intern for Pam Pho during her time at D4EO Literary Agency. He currently works at Ninja Writers, helping other aspiring novelists and poets find their voices.
You can follow him on Twitter @zachjpayne, on Instagram @zachjpayne. You can find old poems and essays on Medium.
Thank you for being a part of this adventure!
