If Toronto Film School alumnus Carly MacIsaac has one goal as a writer, it’s that she wants people to feel less alone.

Perhaps best known for her work on Easy V ­– a popular web series the Acting for Film, TV & the Theatre Diploma graduate both created and stars in ­– MacIsaac has now also branched out into free-verse poetry with the publication of one thousand matches.

Written last year as MacIsaac reflected on her “turbulent journey toward self-forgiveness, grieving a significant loss, breaking free of toxic relationships, and ultimately discovering the power in choosing to release and rebuild,” the 65-page collection is described by readers as “stunningly raw and visceral” and “beautifully relatable.”

“I hope one thousand matches can be a contribution to the conversation that no emotions are ‘good’ or ‘bad’, but instead are all valid and a part of the universal human experience,” MacIsaac said of the collection, which was illustrated by Toronto artist Izzy Treyvaud.

“By baring all of my vulnerabilities and not-so-glamorous thoughts, I hope others feel less ashamed to express emotions other than the ones society deems as acceptable.”

one thousand matches is available at Indigo/Chapters, Amazon, First and Last coffee, and the mental health store, Hard Feelings.

Consisting of primarily free-verse poetry, mixed with a diary confessional tone of short stories and musings, one thousand matches isn’t MacIsaac’s first foray into writing.

In addition to creating, co-directing and starring as Vienna in Easy V, MacIsaac also wrote the web series ­– the first season of which is now available to binge on the Then She Said Youtube channel, which showcases Canadian female talent.

“I was inspired to create a web series about escapism, specifically exploring one woman’s resistance to growing up within society’s very narrow guidelines on what it means to be an adult,” MacIsaac said of Easy V, which was nominated for Best Dramatic Series, Best Writing in a Drama, and Best Actress at Rio WebFest, and for Outstanding Lead Actress at LA Web Fest.

“Writing the character of Vienna was such a joy, because I got to indulge in all the messiness, and as an actor having so much to play with was very satisfying!”