A Writing Life

I started writing as soon as I could hold a pencil. In first grade, a teacher gave me pictures from magazines and told me to write stories for extra credit. That option motivated me to convince all my teachers through fourth grade to let me write. When I started the annual strategy talk, my English teacher suggested that instead of extra credit I could enter writing competitions instead. For the rest of my public school career I entered contests (thank you English teachers!), then used the skills to get a scholarship to college, do graduate work and within job, after job, after job. Writing is more than a job, it's a life's work that all started with one teacher, free magazine pictures, a pencil and a grandma who would listen to those stories every day. Teachers and parents can start the fire, but it's up to each of us to keep it going!