Becoming a Creative Writer
My first piece of published writing was in sixth grade. My Language Arts teacher, Mr. Boyle, told us to write a poem about a personal experience. I decided to write about the day I was diagnosed with diabetes. The night before it was due I scribbled down what I thought to be a terrible poem. It was nothing more to me than an assignment when we were instructed to make it deep and personal. I didn’t expect to get a very good grade, or have any praise for it. Weeks later, the school’s literary book, Written and Illustrated, was distributed and as I sketched a doodle in art class, my classmates came up to me and praised me for my poem. I was confused, and asked them what they were talking about. Someone whipped out a copy of the book and opened to page sixteen. There it was, my poem, in black and white titled, Endless Needles, Endless Tests. However, that isn’t when I discovered I wanted to be a writer.
At first I was mortified, when I handed it in I was sure it was no good and just another C+ grade into my average. I took the book from my classmate’s hand and read it over, still dumbfounded as to how it even got there. During Language Arts I asked Mr. Boyle why and how my poem was in Written and Illustrated. He said it was a wonderful piece, and he wanted everyone to see it. He didn’t fathom the fact that I would be embarrassed. At first I was worried of ridicule and being subject to other people’s humor. I have always been scared of critics, and hated sharing anything I created. Despite the admiration I received I was always shy, and self-conscious of everything. From artwork to schoolwork I never thought I was good enough. As I walked through the halls I received more and more complements. I was astonished that people thought I was a good writer, when I never saw it as a hobby before. What I have found that this was the foundation for my ‘Ah ha’ moment.
It wasn’t until several months ago when I found out I wanted to be a creative writer. For fun I wrote a short story, something I thought of when I sat home with nothing to do. Before I knew it, I had written a number of pages. I read over it, and thought, hey this actually isn’t half bad. Then decided to share it online. After, I received floods of e-mails requesting me to write more and that I was an exceptionally talented writer. Still, I didn’t think I was really all that good. Although, creative writing had become more of than just a hobby to me, it became an addiction. My computer became over loaded with all kinds of writing. I had about ten or so notebooks in my room filled with ideas, little jotted poems and visions for characters and plots.
I wrote more and more as a demand of the thirty or so people who read my stories and poems. One day I received a comment on a story about a website for teenagers to have their written work published online, and a few selected to be in a monthly magazine. At first I wasn’t sure if I was really that good to be published. I never thought I could be an author. I always thought of authors as well educated people with college degrees and made money. That moment I made an account and published what I had written, again with floods of comments and e-mails.
I finally reached my ‘Ah ha’ moment when I logged on to the website to check on the status of one of my stories. On my screen popped a message, and it read: “Congratulations Adriana! You’re story “ ‘She Loves You’ “ has been chosen as the best story of the week! You are now a featured author on our website.” That’s when it hit me. I realized I had great potential to be a writer, that people enjoyed reading my work, and that it was something I loved doing. I was speechless that I was called an author, and I was only fifteen! After my ‘Ah Ha’ moment I was determined to get my writing published by a real publishing company. I am now being sent a hard covered copy of a collection of my works. I am not officially published but I am on my way to becoming a full-fledged author.
I never thought I would ever be this good at making stories and having them appreciated. In sixth grade I never thought I would have things published, or have people praising me and calling themselves ‘fans’ of my work. Writing has become a passion of mine, and I hope to become a famous author in my future.
I love it!
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