Date
6-17-2026
Department
College of Arts and Sciences
Degree
Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA)
Chair
Timothy Shea
Keywords
Creative nonfiction, memoir, voice, identity, observation, humor, creative writing, grief, art
Disciplines
Creative Writing
Recommended Citation
Wilson, Kaitlyn Grace, "The Things That Keep Me Up at Night" (2026). Masters Theses. 1513.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/masters/1513
Abstract
This creative nonfiction manuscript is a collection of reflective personal essays centered on ordinary experiences, curiosities, anxieties, and observations that gradually expand into larger questions about identity, memory, adulthood, faith, and human behavior. Rather than relying on dramatic plot or chronological structure, the essays move associatively through thought, humor, research, and reflection. Subjects throughout the manuscript range from fireworks, sourdough starter, dreams, and Facebook Marketplace to art history, floating the Chattahoochee River, weddings, music performances, and irrational fears. Through these seemingly small topics, the manuscript explores the emotional weight and philosophical questions hidden within everyday life.
Much of the project focuses on voice as the primary organizing force of the collection. Humor and conversational narration are employed to entertain and to create a connection with the reader. The essays often walk a fine line between dry wit and vulnerability, where absurdity and sincerity coexist without imposing neat conclusions or overt moral resolutions. The manuscript is particularly interested in attention itself: the act of noticing ordinary moments closely enough that they become meaningful.
The accompanying artist statement reflects on the development of the manuscript through the study of contemporary creative nonfiction and examines influences from writers such as David Sedaris, Vivian Gornick, Philip Lopate, and Ottessa Moshfegh. It also discusses the role of curiosity, research, restraint, and revision within the writing process, as well as the influence of a Christian worldview in shaping the author’s perspective toward memory, humor, uncertainty, and reflection.
