My Escape

Many people would probably scoff at this, but my inspiration was school. Yes, I was one of those weird nerds that actually enjoyed school. I enjoyed learning (and still do), not necessarily the work. I didn't know it at the time way back in about 3rd grade we were given those assignments everyone was given, you know the "what did you do this summer" and such. I don't remember what I wrote, but what I do remember is I was incredibly proud when my teacher put it up on the wall. Then terribly disappointed in myself when during one of those parent/teacher days my father saw it up on the wall and he saw the one mistake marked in red. I hadn't even noticed it and honestly didn't understand the mistake (I wrote next store instead of next door -- apparently I had some hearing issues back then and honestly thought it was always next store). Anyway I remember being crushed that I made such a silly mistake and after that strove to write correctly.1

Fast forward a few years later, another silly assignment, we were to write a small children's book about how something came to be, with pictures and everything. I thought this was a nifty idea and put much effort into it. In fact I still have the laminated final copy. I energetically wrote how an elephant was trying to get a peanut from a person in the crowd at a circus. At the time they had short noses and so he stretched his nose until it grew long and he could grab the peanut. I've read it a couple of times since and found it very bad, but I have very fond memories of the work. Yet at that point I still hadn't realized I enjoyed writing.2

Fast forward once more until we get to the ninth grade. Sitting bored in class our teacher assigned us to write a descriptive short story about anything. Everyone groaned. I did too, a little, as I had no idea what I would write about. So I just started writing. No plot, no outline, not even any characters. A cave formed, a man ran through the cave, he was being chased! I kept writing, and writing and writing. Eleven pages later (far exceeding the five page limit) I wasn't done! I was realizing how much I was truly enjoying it. It gave me another world to live in away from those silly highschoolers who only cared about their gangs and sports. I even began my first novel in my senior year inspired by a great teacher forcing us to read 1984 that is now my favorite novel! If school taught me one thing, it was to love to write.3

I haven't really ever stopped writing since. I've always had one story or another going. Sure I've taken breaks but they're still there in the back of my mind waiting for me to take pen to paper or click the little keys. I live and write for those moments when I feel so connected to my characters that I'm there with them doing what they're doing hearing the clangs of swords around me, sailing through the sky, or standing up for the repressed. It allows me to be someone greater than I am and lets me be anywhere except in this real world. And that's what inspires me today: Escape.