Most stories have three main parts, a beginning, middle, and end. There are many pieces within those parts, but when it boils down to it, they fall somewhere in one of those areas. For most of my life I've known that I like writing. I can remember being in college and being one of the few who didn't groan when the teacher would assign a long term paper. A short paper, no sweat. Most of the time I could pump those papers out with little effort and at the last minute. Many told me it was a gift. I even helped other students with their papers when I had the time because I enjoyed it so much.
I remember when I realized I actually enjoyed writing. I was in my required English class in college, and the teacher blew me away. Over my four years at school, he taught me that life was my classroom. He told us, and taught us, that what we learned as we lived our life was just as important as what he could teach us in the class. He encouraged us to experience life to the fullest and that we should use those experiences for our writing. He taught us how to use our life to write and really helped me to dig into myself write differently. I no longer just regurgitated facts. I was now reliving experiences, sharing emotions with my audience. My writing took on a life, and it was fascinating to see the differences that just one year studying with him made.
My professor often went to conferences while I had him for class. He'd travel all over the U.S. for all kinds of writing workshops and events. When he came back one time, there was a note at the bottom of my paper. I'll never forget it, and it still makes me smile thinking about it. It said, "I love your work, and you have a great name for a author! -Emily"
I wish I would have thought to hang on to that paper, and who knows, it might be around. I do have a knack for hanging on to random papers. No matter, the words stuck with me, and even when I wasn't writing creatively, I never forgot that there were others who believed in me. This professor often stopped me on campus to find out how I was and asked about my writing. I remember running into him one night at dinner, and we spent a good bit of the time we were there talking back and forth just about writing.
It's been thirteen years since I graduated college, but the lessons I learned there have stuck with me even today. Life is my classroom still, and I use a lot of life experiences in my writing. That said, my characters are not me. This is me. I'm a mom, wife, friend, and sister. I get into all kinds of shenanigans, and I love every second. I'm a chronic mover, and if you ask where I'm from, I might sigh or look at you like a deer caught in the headlights. Even still, I embrace it all, and I write. I write because if I don't get all this out of my head, it will make me crazy.
I love my life!
