Ever since I can remember, I have always loved writing. I liked how my hand started to hurt after writing for long periods of time, how I could write about anything and everything, and how simple it is. I’ve always been one to write in journals, on blogs, or on social media. As I entered high school, I thought I was one of the best writers in the school. That lasted until my sophomore year at North Kitsap High school, when my whole perspective on writing changed. I realized that all writing is different; styles vary and I needed to be open minded to all writing styles and the different experiences I could have while writing.
My sophomore year in English class, my teacher,Mr. Simonson, decided to have a friendly class competition. He was a very sensible and intelligent man who many students looked up to, so I was determined to make a good impression on him. In the beginning of the year, Mr. Simonson offered us extra credit for a creative essay, due the next week. He would choose five, which would then be showcased as examples of outstanding creative work and the assignment would be offered again at the end of the year. The purpose of this was to not only improve our creative writing skills but also to measure our progress from the first week of school to the last. I was so psyched about this essay. I was able to do something I love to do, all while making a good impression on my teacher and getting extra credit. That week I spent hours brainstorming and creating ideas for my essay, only getting more and more excited to show off my skills as a creative writer.
When I finished my essay, I was so proud of all the hard work and effort I put into it. I turned it in, ready for him to be impressed. The next day when I walked into class, I noticed that the five top creative writing essays were displayed on Mr. Simonson’s wall. I went over to take a look and my heart dropped when I didn’t see my essay displayed up in the front of the classroom. I was so crushed, I felt like I was a terrible writer. I stayed after class and asked Mr. Simonson what was wrong with my paper and he told me that it was a well-written essay that had no depth. He told me to develop my own style and voice, my own personality. This is when I came to the realization that everyone has a separate opinion on writing. Even if two papers had the same format and style of writing, they will most likely turn out to be two completely different stories and perspectives because they’re done by different people, who have different styles and preferences in their writing.
After coming to this realization, I started to open my mind more. Not only with writing styles and techniques, but also with how I see and perceive various pieces of information and aspects of life. I started to listen more than I talked, to study others’ writing in order to learn from it. This got me interested in different authors and writers, with what writers’ styles matched with others, and how they were different. Resulting from my newly found open mind, I became more aware and open minded as a person-not only in writing but also in various areas of my life.
By the end of the year when Mr. Simonson assigned the same extra credit assignment, I felt prepared, at ease. I was confident that I would not feel the need to compete with others for the extra credit, though I would give it my best shot and write freely. Again, I wrote my essay with countless hours of hard work and effort, but this time I made sure to incorporate various styles and personalities in my work in order to create a tone of my own. I turned my essay in and hoped for the best, praying that my hard work would pay off. The next day when I walked into class, I found my hopes had come true-my essay was one of five that was displayed for the class to see. I was, and still am, so proud of myself for learning my lesson and improving my writing (and a lot of that credit also goes to Mr. Simonson).
My sophomore year was one in which I truly learned what writing is and the various genres there are for me to discover and explore how to write within each one. Had I not experienced failure in my writing the first time around, I would never have pushed myself to “think outside the box” and break the boundaries I set for myself in writing. I wouldn’t have developed a deeper understanding of writing, nor would I have the appreciation for writing that I developed. I use this newfound knowledge and understanding in my daily life as well, appreciating not only myself and my ideas but others and their ideas.
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