The Roots of My Need to Write

         I've always wanted to write.I literally breathe writing when I am not reading. My family was always telling stories of family lore and spinning stories for entertainment.
     When I was in grade six we had to write a speech and I was terrified.A speech me? I was basically a shy reserved child who liked to fade into the background. To speak to a classroom and try to win a competition in front of the school. I couldn't do it I had thought but then my mother said you can do this. Think of it as as story you are telling and keep your audience interested. I've heard your stories; what if you told a story about something that happened to you.
     I was interested then, in fact I knew right away what I wanted to write about my mother's pet crow. So I had to ask her to tell me again how she found him. She told me and I began to write. Over the next few days I wrote re-wrote and editing it reading it out to my mother as a sounding board. I went to school and read it in front of my class and to my teacher. To my surprise my teacher told me that I had been picked to read it in front of other teachers to decide if my speech would be read in front of the school for the final prize a trophy. I was thrilled excited and scared all at once. What if my story wasn't good enough?
     Luckily my mother was my biggest fan and supporter and she told me believe in yourself.


      The day dawned I read my speech in front of the teachers and they picked me to compete in front of the school with three others in my class fort he final trophy. I got up in front of the assembly and the faces disappeared as I found myself immersed in the story. I was laughing right along with my audience as I told the of the antics of Doc the crow. I became the minstrel storyteller of old amusing my audience and I loved it. To my surprise and delight I won a trophy. That trophy sits on my dresser today a reminder that storytelling is as much about the reader/listener as it is about your enjoyment writing it.


       I continued writing dribs and drabs.Short stories unfinished manuscripts and then one day I thought I can do this I can write a novel it is in me. All I need to do is believe and write. So I did and now I find my self with several novels written. With hard work and perseverance I plan on publishing the first novel very soon.I'll let you know when that happens. Until then and after that I will continue to write because it's like breathing I need it.

© Sheilagh Lee- June 3, 2011