People have used the world of media as a form of escapism for a long time. Books and movies offer the promise of a better tomorrow, the ups and downs of love, and so much more. Senior-editor-in-chief of The Rambler John Santone has been an avid consumer and producer of media for as long as he can remember, and it has had a massive influence on his life.

“John has always been the type of person to write stories for fun,” John’s longtime friend and fellow senior Ethan Seifert said. “He has always had this passion for writing that I just haven’t seen with any other person.”

John’s passion for writing started at a very young age.

“I remember I used to read a lot of stories,” John said. “I was really inspired by comic book characters, and that was the thing that got me into the entire world of English.”

Like any writer, John has the areas of English he prefers to write in over others.

“When I was younger,” John said, “I definitely preferred to write fictional stories more than anything else. Now, I find it more difficult to find time and inspiration to write fiction. I mostly prefer to write nonfiction. I find that it is a lot easier to write an argument than it is to verbalize it. I really enjoy crafting an argument throughout the course of a paper.”

John credits a lot of his interest and passion for writing to various different influences throughout his life.

“I believe that everything that we read or watch has an influence on us,” John said. “One big influence for me is listening to music. I don’t really know why music is a influence on me, but it just helps me to think and get my thoughts organized. My English teachers have also played an influence on my writing by helping me develop my skills as a writer.”