Recently I was asked how I became a writer. My response surprised them a little because they didn't this about me. It made me wonder how many others don't know how I have gotten to this point in my writing career.
As a teen, I participated in the Noon Optimists Club Speech Contest in my hometown. Each year they had an overall theme that we had to write our speeches to correlate to. I spent many hours perfecting my speech, trying my hardest to win. One of my favorite memories of doing this was the moment before I went to give my speech, as I would get in the car, sitting on the front seat was a greeting card and a troll doll. (This was the 90's!)
My Mom is my biggest fan. She not only gifted me those troll dolls, but she always helped me prepare, encouraged me to be brave, and cheered the loudest when I finished my speech.
In High School, I attended a Joint Vocational School where I became bolder and braver, as I ran for several seats in different clubs and organizations. Writing and delivering speeches was something that I thought I would do for my career. I remember proudly saying I wanted to be a motivational speaker that helped breath life into the hearts of others. But somewhere along the way, I decided not to do that.
My senior year, my english teacher handed back a fictional piece I had written with a 100% and in big red letters "Never stop writing!" As graduation neared, I thought about becoming an English Teacher or an Evangelist, but still hadn't quite made up my mind. Instead, I went to work full time at the local hospital in the brain injury ward where I transcribed the tapes from the sessions.
As time continued, I found that writing was something I did in secret, to quiet my mind and express what was on my heart. I wrote devotions that I led in Church, short stories, and poems. Each of which I still have.
I have always wanted to write a book, I just never knew what I wanted to say. One day, I was told that no one wanted to hear my story and that no one would care. That was the fuel I needed to fire a passion within me to not only write my story but to share it with others to help them.
You could say that I became a writer in Jr. High, when I wrote my first play, or in high school when I wrote a scholarship winning speech. Perhaps you'd say I became a writer when I wrote plays for the community theatre I was in, or when I submitted a poem for publication in a local Newspaper. Maybe it was when I wrote and designed three different children's books for each of my nieces and nephews I had at that time, when I wrote greeting cards, or when I decided it was time to start writing a romance series I had been dreaming up. However, it's likely now, now that I have published my story you can finally see that I am a writer.
I've put my pen down many times, swearing I'd never write again, only to find myself picking it back up and trying again and again. It's never too late to become a writer. If it's something you love and are passionate about, may I encourage you to pick up your pen and begin again?
This is my promise to you...I'll never stop writing again.
With Grace, Shonda