A letter to my favorite authors

I may not be good at it but I love writing. I’ve loved it for as long as I can remember. I loved it more than hanging out with children my age. In highschool I wrote in my free time. I was an active member in the creative writing club until it’s founders graduated and the club disbanded. When our high school created its first creative writing class, I was 1 of 5 students to sign up. In college I took writing courses for several semesters.

Needless to say I can’t stop writing.

I’ve participated in every Nanowrimo from 2009 (when I first discovered it) to 2015. I didn’t write in 2016 because we got Booker that year. I didn’t write in 2017 because I couldn’t find the inspiration to. This year I pushed away everything that told me I couldn’t write. So for most of this month I sat down and wrote. I say most because my schedule was a bit rocky at times.

In the end I completed the goal, the goal of 50,000 words.

I am most at peace when I write but I could have never gotten to that point alone. My parents were too busy when I was growing up so they gave me audiobooks to listen to. During their divorce, I spent hours by myself concocting stories that would combat my difficult emotions. In the end these stories gave me the most reassurance that things would be ok.

So I need to extend my thanks. A thank you to all those people who penned my favorite stories. A big hug for all those times when I felt like I had no one but a book by my side. A heartful handshake to those who slaved for months or years over tales that poured from their heads. All your words never went to waste in my eyes. In fact they drove me to pursue the same passion. I can’t imagine a life without writing. This is why I encourage it as much as I can.

The trouble is, when it comes to writing… It’s so hard to stop. There’s an invisible force that compels you to keep going even if no one is watching. In fact that’s the best time to write. There’s no judgement on what comes from your imagination. It’s the euphoria of pure freedom in its rawest and simplest form.

So once again, a huge thank you to all the writers for their stories. In my most desperate time of need, I had those fantasties and words to guide me through the dark. I am who I am because of them and I cannot be more thankful.