Writer’s Self-Portrait: Adventures in Writing!
Deep down, I have always known, that my ability to write creatively is a gift from the Creator Himself. From as far back as first grade, my teachers were impressed with my imaginative writing capabilities! I remember one particular day in first grade, when we were assigned to write a little story on the topic of something such as: “If I lived under the sea, what creature would I be, and what would life be like?” I’ve forgotten now what creature I chose to be. (It might have been an octopus or something) In fact, the only clear memory that remains is the line: “I would be friends with the seahorse.” My teacher was so impressed that she asked other teachers to come and read my paper! In other grade levels, some assignments required me to write other fictional stories. I would let my imagination soar until I came up with the elements for my story. Thoughts just seemed to come from out of nowhere. E.g. A story about a green monster that lived under the sea that people were afraid of but was really friendly if you got to know him! In second and third grades especially, my teachers, Mrs. Baker and Mrs. Kelly, were thrilled by my fiction writing and would encourage me by saying, “You’re going to be a famous writer someday!” I loved writing fiction and using my imagination when I wrote in those early days! As I grew older, I also enjoyed writing poetry, and in recent years, political commentary. It was in fourth grade however, that writing began to seem like a chore, instead of something fun. Every month my fourth-grade teacher “Mrs. W.” made us write monthly reports on everything from dinosaurs to the Roman Empire; on anything that we were studying! I hated these reports because they were all about facts with no imagination! All facts and no fun made writing feel dull! But things improved in fifth grade! I remember a writing project that I did as part of an overall “Educational Extravaganza” at our school. My paper was a work of fiction, modeled after the old-time radio programs that I enjoy listening to. It was adapted from the Superman radio series. In my story, I told how Superman came to earth and how he later fought against a villain named The Yellow Hornet. My story received praise and a blue ribbon! I wrote nothing really noteworthy until the eighth grade. I then wrote a story where I was a “time changer.” That is, I would go back in time and prevent catastrophic world events like the Lincoln and Kennedy assassinations.
But it wasn’t until my senior year of high school, that I was introduced to the MLA format. I learned it in a Computer Applications class and first used it in reports I wrote for a Sociology class that same year. The first report, almost eight pages in length, was a pain to write, because it took me a while to narrow down the topic and when I finally did, (It was about the Catholic and Protestant views on salvation) I had a very short time in which to write the paper and turn it in.
I hate writing reports, but I love poetry, fiction, and some research, depending on the topic. I like writing research, such as biographies of famous people. I especially love writing out my opinions; because I can write out my thoughts without being interrupted or put down! I have written two letters to the editor of the Tri-City Herald concerning politics. One was an endorsement of John Givens for Benton County Commissioner when he ran against Claude Oliver in the 2004 primary. (He lost unfortunately) But, Mr. Givens was so impressed, that he asked me to draft up more letters during the campaign, so people he knew that were having a hard time writing their letters, could use what I wrote to form theirs! The second letter to the editor was one in which I criticized the Herald’s endorsement of John Kerry for President, and both were published in the newspaper!
When I’m writing papers about my political views, I imagine myself speaking them out as part of a speech in front of adoring crowds! When I’m writing a fictional story, I can see what the characters look like, and what they are doing. My writing process isn’t very complicated. I just sit down and write whatever is assigned, turn in a rough draft and then go back and make any necessary revisions for the final draft. On occasions where I share a Bible lesson with my youth group, I write an outline with biblical references and use that as a means of organizing what I talk about in my sermons. I also pray before I write to stir up the gift that God has placed within me, and I pray that what I write pleases Him!
Indeed, writing is in many ways a very spiritual experience for me! I practice a faith that acknowledges the present-day ministry of the Holy Sprit and the gifts (see I Corinthians chapters 12-14 for reference) that He bestows upon mankind when we ask for them. One of these gifts is the ability of lay people to prophesy. My church has held many Prophetic Presbytery Conferences, where people with a high calling in the gift of prophecy, come and prophesy over the congregation. Many of these prophetic exhortations are “confirming words”, that confirm what God has already put in your heart. During one of my Presbytery experiences, a lady told me that God was going to make me “skilled in writing such as poetry that touches the lives of people and that people would come to know God through what I wrote.”
I enjoy writing about my faith in God and what it means to me! I pour my heart into it, and it fills me with a great sense of joy! Indeed, excitement and joy are the two most intense emotions I feel when I write! I wrote a poem which I framed in a plaque for one of my teachers during senior year about what a wonderful person she was, even though the other students didn’t treat her like one; and she burst into tears because it touched her so! I have gotten e-mails and comments from people like my cousin Tanna, who say that my writing touches them to the point of tears! It is essential to acquire a good vocabulary with which to express yourself articulately when you write, something which I believe I possess! I will be forever grateful to God for giving me this unique gift of writing! I would however, like to hone my organization skills and make my punctuation better. When I write though, my greatest hope is that it glorifies and pleases God more then anyone else!
