English 5599 - Creative Writing For Teachers
A.K.
A.K. is a wife, a mother, and a student who enjoys writing in her spare time. She has benefited from writing through the years, whether it was homework, song lyrics or short stories. She realizes the value of practice and diligence in regard to the writing process and hopes that the knowledge she has will help her to fully develop her ability to communicate the more inscrutable feelings and experiences in life.
Before high school, A-- recalls doing very little writing. During her sophomore year in high school, however, the difficulty of writing became a reality. The ongoing task that year was to write a "theme" for class-an assignment she loathed-due every week. This "theme" was to be creative and different.
"Your rough drafts are due on Thursday," Mrs. Kulm would say. "Final drafts on Friday."
The process was so undesirable that A-- also remembers not showing anyone the results of her weekly labor (except for Mrs. Kulm, of course). Somehow A-- survived the course, and in retrospect, she realizes that the volume of work she produced that year helped her gain an advantage over her classmates.
The students generally did not like the English teacher of that small high school in Shallowater, Texas, because of her tendency for rigidity in her methods. However, Mrs. Kulm would sometimes jot an encouraging note at the bottom of a completed assignment, letting her students know when they performed well. When a student received a compliment from this teacher, she had reason to feel proud. Although A--'s disposition toward the teacher mirrors that of the other students, she attributes the inspiration of becoming a better writer to the teacher's relentless efforts to better A--'s skills. After three years under the tutelage of Mrs. Kulm and after countless "themes," A-- became the best writer in her school. She even beat a 12th grader known for her writing skills, winning district in the UIL competition that year. Needless to say, the acknowledgment for her work made her feel special. Since those humble beginnings, A-- has taken advantage of opportunities along the way to polish her writing skills.
As a physical therapy major in college, she spent hours writing research papers. During a difficult time in her life-her father's death-she poured her heart out on paper so that she could revisit the memory of his last hours of life. She became a close friend to a professional songwriter, and developed a co-writing relationship with her during the late 90s. Whether jotting poetry down on paper with a cup of coffee nearby or typing a technical document on a word processor, Alison has taken joy in her craft.
Every writer has a certain routine when writing. A-- likes to sneak away from her husband and children and find a quiet place. Once there, she listens to the subtle yet insightful reflections that move through the corridors of her mind. Then she begins to write. For her, writing is creating something out of nothing, many times stemming from some fervent emotion. If she feels pain or sadness, writing is the balm that brings healing. If there is joy, writing is the celebration. Either way, writing is what clarifies, purifies the meaning of the heartbeat inside.