Ty Wood

Write Across America Project

Stories and music created across America

What is the Write Across America Project?

When my father passed away in November of 2021, I decided to downsize greatly and explore the US. I had been through some pretty significant trauma prior to his death and now found myself with the perfect opportunity to drive across the US and do some things I always said I was going to do and hadn’t yet done.I sold the majority of my stuff, put what remained in a 10 by 15 storage unit, and set out across America to look for property while living in a camper. Yeah, this project started off with me looking for where to live next. I was going to find out where the coolest place would be to live in the US. But the universe has a strange way of redirecting us at times.

I also thought that while traveling the US, I would finish writing the book which I had started years before, and that I would write new music and finish the music that had been sitting on the shelf, unfinished and ignored, and to get away from the toxicity which has plagued our world in recent years and had me starting to believe that the world actually sucks. On the trip I would look for beautiful people, places and experiences while synthesizing what has happened over the past 4 or 5 years. But, as I set out across the country a strange thing happened.I started hearing the stories of other people I would meet along the way. In hearing those stories, I found people with beautiful hearts. I found people with significant pain and incredible hope. I found people young and old, rich and poor. From executives who sit in the corner office to fentanyl addicts who sit on the corner of the street, I found people with stories. Stories that lifted my soul and stories that broke my heart.

In hearing those stories I found we are more alike than we are different. In hearing those stories I found that we have similar hopes, similar dreams and similar pains. They made me feel inspired and moved. But on many occasions when hearing some those stories I felt crushed. After hearing so many, It became so clear that we all have a story to tell. I was moved every day when I stepped out of the camper an met someone new. What would the story be that I would discover today? A seed. Planted. Germinated. and then a realization. This was not just about the book I had started and this was not just a trip about ME or MY discoveries and experiences alone. No, this project became, and will continue to become, about so much more.It has become the Write Across America Project.Over the next year I will be living in the camper writing a book called “Run Another Play”. I will also be looking to collaborate with other artists, story tellers and musicians as part of the Write Across America Project. I am including the stories of people I am meeting along the way and I will continue to be searching for the ultimate confirmation.

Did I say confirmation?Yes, confirmation that our world is beautiful. Confirmation that there are more amazing and beautiful people out there than those who are not. And confirmation that YOU matter and YOU make a difference.While it’s true that there is so much ugliness and tragedy out there and at times it can feel overwhelming and soul crushing. And it is also true that there are horrible people, some who are sick and twisted who abuse power at every level. But, this will be a project that says that LIFE is incredibly amazing even in the midst of the ugliness, insanity and craziness around us at times and it is meant to be savored and experienced, not just tolerated and existed.I expect the book to be done in 2023 but will be releasing stories, music and updates on social media along the way. Learn more about the Write Across America Project. You can follow me on Instagram @tywoodmusic and you can become a part of the project with me by adding your email address, messaging me or sending me a DM on Instagram.Remember this….When the play you’re running doesn’t work, don’t quit the game,Run Another Play

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March 24, 2022

So what is the Write Across America Project?In January of 2022 I sold most of my “stuff” and what I didn’t sell, I put in a 10×15 storage unit and set off on the journey of a lifetime. When my father passed away, I looked at the camper sitting in his front yard, and said, “well, this hasn’t been used in a while”. A camper which had been sitting in the driveway for years, unused and in need of an experience greater than just collecting spiderwebs. And truth be told, so did I.

Initially, I set out on this adventure to look for property to buy, and to hopefully find an amazing new place to settle down. After having some pretty significant trauma, I thought it was time to write the book which I had started years prior and maybe write a little bit of music as well and what better way then to drive across AmericaHowever, what happened though as i kicked off this trip has become so much more than I could have ever expected. The Write Across America Project is now about much more than just my story; it’s a story of connection, discovery and perseverance.

Sure it’s about finishing the book I started which has had the working title of “Run Another Play” for the past 4 years, and sure It’s about writing the music I said I would write when I was in my 20s, and sure It’s about seeing America through a lens broader than just airports and conference rooms that tend to become the corporate america travel experience. But, now it’s about the quest to find beautiful people, places and experiences; Experiences that I’m finding all across the US. Experiences which now have become part of the Write Across America Project and including the stories, and music, of other people in this project. As part of Run Another Play, I will be sharing those stories, stories that connect us all, and show us that we are more similar regardless of our backgrounds, preconceived prejudices and/or judgements.

Regardless of the masks we often wear that divide us rather than bringing us together. The Write Across America Project is about taking a moment to connect and hopefully share stories that will help us come together and “get it right”.

Driving from the left coast to “right” coastWriting a bookWriting musicGetting it “right”

What do I mean by “get it right”? Well the world right now is filled with so much hate, bitterness, confusion and anger that it can be easy to lose sight and think its all bad. And in times like these, it’s easy to give up hope and either be angry or feel like you don’t matter. But, I don’t believe that. Because, what started off as a simple project for my own catharsis and exploration, has turned into something much more.

I expect the foundation of this project to take the next year to complete and then… well the Write Across America Project will turn into…. something much bigger than just my story. It will turn into OUR STORY.Follow me on Instagram, add your name to the mailing list and become a part of the journey as together we will see what this project turns into!