If there's anything I've learned in my "How To Get Published" class, it's that I'm missing what every amateur writer needs in order to get their platform established in the writing community, and that is my writing.
Now, before you think "well why the heck are you in a how to get published class?!?" and have your head spontaneously combust with bewilderment, let me explain.
I love writing, particularly fiction stories, but I simply have not devoted time to write, and I realize this is no excuse. Regardless, I don't have folders upon folders of stories that I wish to get published, or need to reedit. And I certainly do not have any rejection and acceptance letters. Simply put, I'm not in the writing game, at least not yet. I'm not exactly a newbie when it comes to writing stories either. I have been in creative writing, and written a few short stories and narrative essays, but the time to really devote myself to writing outside of course work is far over due.
My interest in writing goes back to when I was 10 years old playing with my beanie babies (don't laugh) when I suppose one day I thought to myself 'instead of acting out a story with these beanie babies, I could write down the story!' And so, using my Lisa Frank notebooks, I began writing different stories based off of my beloved toys. I ended up writing 3 different stories, varying from 75 to 100 notebook sheets, which to me felt like the size of a Harry Potter novel.
By the time I was 11, I graduated to using Microsoft Word, and was amused with playing with the text fonts, background colors, and giving my hand a break from being cramped after writing in my notebooks. Back then I had an undeniable spark for writing. While most kids enjoyed their summers swimming or hanging out with the neighborhood kids, I took pleasure in opening my blinds for some dim afternoon light, and writing on my laptop for hours. I loved to finish one story and immediately start on a new one, as if I had so many stories just brimming to the surface of my imagination.
Over the years, my passion for writing has not ceased, but gone down my priority list of how to spend my time. I have started a few more stories, but unjustly I have yet to finish them and so they remain floating thoughts and characters waiting to be developed in my mind, idly waiting for me to give them the voice they deserve. I would not say that my passion for writing has ceased, but more like I have neglected the fire that I had as a child. The excitement and love of creating a new world is still there, and that's why I know my "How to Get Published" class will help my motivation to continue writing.
Looking back on my notebooks, it almost seems like the little girl writing those stories was not even me, but instead a young girl with so much carefree imagination and dreams of writing her entire life, casting aside doubt and criticism, and simply writing for the cathartic experience. I know I need to try and fulfill that little girl's dream, for she is the spark that resides within me, the force behind my passion of writing, and she always will be.
Posts
