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 Keynote Speaker

Chanel Marie McKinnon

Student, Freelance Writer
Articles
1
Views
16,000
Location
Toronto, Ontario
Member Since
Apr 2013
Chanel McKinnon is a homo sapiens currently attending York University for Creative Writing and Psychology. She has been trying to write a book since she couldn't actually write (but actually, as a 3 year old she got all in a huff because she wanted to write the bestest, longest book in the world but couldn't write words). She has lived both in the GTA and in South Carolina. She is an avid Neopets and Tumblr user. She aspires to make enough income to one day afford a cat.
What is unique that's not in your bio?
It took me until I was 19 to realize I had a double-jointed tongue (I can make the clover shape). Don't ask me why it took me that long to figure it out... I didn't figure out that the "D" in the Dominion logo wasn't a "G" until I was 16.
What's your favorite accomplishment?
I got into the Creative Writing program at York. That was pretty sick!
How do you define cool?
Doing what makes you happy, with the contingency that you aren't a horrible human being. Be who you want to be, and whenever you go to do something, ask yourself if anyone would be hurt by it. If yes, don't do it. That is my requirement for being cool. Be yourself, don't be mean.
What is your secret to uncovering trends?
Tumblr, hands-down. Internet trends hit Tumblr faster than most social networking sites (other than Reddit or 4chan) because Tumblr users are very much internet people. There are millions of users on Facebook, but a good chunk of them aren't active on the internet. By the time trends hit Facebook, they're usually already dead (take memes for example).
What do you enjoy most about Trend Hunter?
I love the concept of it. It really strives to put a lot of cool things all together, and is a really laid-back place to explore. I prefer the Internet section, myself. (;
What is your favorite trend?
I love the Covered Comic Book Heroines. It's so refreshing to see women who are clearly still feminine and attractive in practical clothing. As a woman, why would I want to wear skin-tight clothing and a push-up bra while kicking ass? That's asking for a wedgie and an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction!
What are your tips for writing a juicy post?
Just be honest! A lot of people think that being honest includes being mean, but it doesn't have to. Readers want to get straight to the good stuff of the article, and they don't want someone who is beating around the bush.
How do you reset to be creative?
It depends. Sometimes if I'm really stuck in a rut, I like listening to spoken word poetry or navigating the "inspirational writing" tag on Tumblr. Other people being creative really motivates me.
What inspires or excites you?
People helping other people. Volunteers after horrible incidents, people giving blood, someone giving half of their sandwich to a homeless person. When you can see that leveling of humanity, that we're all in it for the long run... that's what it really gets down to.
Predict something awesome for 2020?
Oh man, jetpacks! Can I put my money on jetpacks?! (*ahem* not a science major)