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Beginning Writing
I did not learn how to write at home. They told our parents not to help us during those days, because they thought it might ruin our chance to learn how to write properly. -
Minus Kindergarten
Although my parents didn't encourage me to write letters at home, I did love to color. I remember learning about outlining the pictures with a black crayon so I could stay inside the lines. We did not have kindergarten at my two room school in the country so I pretended to have school at home. -
Going into first grade!
I finally got to go to school when I was six years old. My cousin was the first grade teacher. What I really liked to do, was learn how to read. I wasn't too concerned with writing. We used the Dick and Jane books....Go Spot Go! -
Two Room Grade School
All through grade school, we had to practice writing our alphabet with manuscript and cursive writing. We learned how to do cursive writing in the third grade. I thought I was really cool when I learned that, because that was what big people did. I thought I was pretty good at it. I think the coloring helped. -
Big Room
We had two rooms in my school and I was in the big room from 4th grade to 8th grade. I didn't think about writing too much. We just did it when we had to write sentences using correct grammar. We didn't write too many stories in those days. -
High School
I went to an all girl's high school in Spokane, Washington and I was more interested in fitting in, than worrying about writing. I just wrote when i had to complete assignments for school. I didn't have a diary like some of my friends. -
Graduating from high school
I graduated from high school not in too bad of shape, but I certainly wasn't interested in writing. I was interested in boys! -
Working in a hospital
I had to use my writing skills when I was the receptionist at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane and as an admissions clerk. I used a typewriter to fill out insurance forms though, not long hand. -
First college writing class
I took my first college writing class at Eastern. I wrote a play and the professor kind of laughed at it. He read it out loud in class and made fun of the writing. I got discouraged about writing about that time. -
Next writing class
I wrote a poem in this class and the professor (a different one) asked me if I had copied it. He thought it was so good that I couldn't possibly have written it myself. I had written it myself but I am not sure he believed me. I thought to myself, Wow, I
must be a better writer than I thought. -
Writing Stories
When I first moved to Alaska to teach Eskimos, I wrote a diary because it was such a new experience for me. We used dog sloeds and it was bitterly cold with no stores, and only a two way radio for communication. I taught my students how to write cinquains and the first grade teacher took the idea and wrote a book. -
Writing Stories
I continued to write stories as I thought there was a lot to tell about when I was in Alaska. I sent a children's story into a publisher and they rejected the story. I didn't send it in again. -
College Writing
I had to write a lot of papers when I worked on my Master's Degree in Administration and for my Doctorate Degree. I learned more about technical writing and how hard it is to use APA formatting. When you complete your doctorate, you have to have all the periods, commas, etc. in perfect order. It is tedious writing. You do have a sense of accomplishment when one of your pieces is published. -
I Keep Writing!
I keep writing as I got used to it when I worked on my doctorate. Now I write children's stories and poems. I may read one to you sometime.