Early on in life, I realized that I was not a gifted writer. When I needed to write a short story or a term paper for school, it would take me many edits until I felt the words on paper captured the points I wanted to make. Although, I struggled, I never thought my writing skills were that bad until one day I was made starkly aware in the most demeaning way. It’s a day I’ll never forget.
It was the start of my freshman year in high school, and everything was brand new to me, the building, the schedule, and the teachers. Our middle school was a separate building for 7th and 8th graders, so entering high school was a new experience.
On my first day in English class, the teacher gave us a short writing assignment so she could assess our abilities. A few days later, after we submitted our assignment, the teacher selected two stories to read out loud to the class. The first one she read, she explained, was well written. The second was an example of a poorly written story. As she began to read the poorly written story, I recognized that it was mine. She critiqued it as she read, and I remember being mortified. The kids in the class laughed and looked around the room wondering who may have written the story. After she was done, she gathered all the submitted assignments and began to hand them back to each student. When she gave me mine, there were red marks all over it and I quickly turned it face down on my desk so that no one could see that I was the author of the poorly written story. Looking back, I think the teacher could have found a better way to show the students how to write properly without humiliating one. Unfortunately for me, no matter how much time goes by, the shame I experienced that day left an ugly scar, that I still carry.
Following that day, I was determined to improve my writing, so I began taking various writing courses in high school and college even if it wasn’t required. What I learned is, as long as I followed a few basic rules and practiced often, I could become a skilled writer. I know writing will always be challenging for me since it’s not a natural talent, but with patience and a little effort, using these rules, I’m able to clearly express my ideas and thoughts on paper. Even writing this will take several iterations until I get it right. However, I’m fine with that as long as what I’ve written is compelling, engaging, and clearly articulates what I want the reader to understand.
After graduation, I ended up pursuing a career where I used my mathematical skills much more than my writing skills which was fine. It wasn’t until I began to write my annual Christmas letters when I realized how much I love to write. After a few years, as I talked with family and friends who received my letters, they would comment on how much they looked forward to receiving it each year. The stories I told were moving, funny, and inspirational and because I sent it early in December, it made them feel good as Christmas was coming.
That encouragement led me to write lengthy stories on my fundraising page when I began to run and enter races while raising money for St. Jude. I also started two different blogs that covered vegan recipes and fun family stories.
I have now written a memoir covering a period of my life that was very painful and difficult but also enlightening. This by far is my biggest writing accomplishment to date. It was hard to write about those years but at the same time many amazing things happened that altered my view of life and enriched me in so many meaningful ways that compelled me to write this Novella.
As a reader myself, I appreciate a well written and compelling story. As a writer; there is no greater gift than when a reader expresses how much they appreciated your story and even more so when your told that it inspired them, made them think, and gave them hope. It’s the most amazing feeling to know that you’re writing can have such a powerful and positive effect on someone which is what I hope my memoir will bring to the reader.
Maybe I should thank my English teacher for what happened that day in high school. As awful as it was, It did push me to improve my writing. But since that day, what has carried me to this moment and who I’m really thankful for is you the reader. It was your encouragement that gave me the motivation to put pen to paper and to see myself as an author, effectively mending that scar, with every word I write.
Lisa VanPatten 