My Mom Wasn't A Writer

My mother wasn't a writer, but that didn't stop her from seeing the potential in me.

I was a late reader. For most of my early life I hated reading, and only did it when I was forced to (usually by my mom.) When I was about ten or eleven, she got me a gift. An adventure novel about a kid who lived out in the woods on a mountain, all by himself. I loved adventures of my own. I loved being outside, and often played games about living in the wild, all by myself. So needless to say, My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George was a great thing to give me for my first book, and I loved it.

After reading my first book, I started to pick up the other options we had available on my parent's bookshelf, which was pretty much a bunch of old classic sci-fi authors such as Andre Norton, Robert A Heinlein, and Isaac Asmiov. My second book was The Time Traders by Norton, and my third book was Have Space Suit--Will Travel by Heinlein.

After that, I was hooked, and I often went to my mom for advice of what to read next. (Although, I started The Moon is a Harsh Mistress in high school and only came back to it and finished reading it about 10 years after I graduated college, so that might not have been the best suggestion at the time.)

I have always been a big dreamer, and by that I mean multiple dreams a night, and they're vivid and sharp. The November before I turned 13, I had a dream that I told Mom about. I told her how it was so vivid and so interesting. I wondered what the people were doing where they were, and where they were going. And then my mom said six words that would change my life.

She said, "So write a story about them."

"What?" I asked.

Ever since starting to read novels, I had always been amazed by them. They were so long, they were so detailed and in-depth. I marveled at how anyone would be able to write that many words, tell that kind of story.

"I don't know if I can do that," I said.

"Of course you can. Just start by writing down what happened in the dream, and then think about what could happen after that."

And thus was born a new writer; a bad writer at first, but an enthusiastic writer. Throughout the years my mom encouraged me and mentored me. My dad was also very influential in my becoming a writer. He was the one I always turned to when I needed help with some technical or scientific aspect of a story I wanted to write. But Mom was right there, hands-on with my writing every step of the way. She helped me edit some of the (few) stories I (actually) finished. She carefully showed me ways I could say something a little different, or show the setting a little better. She was always excited to read what I had written, she was always willing to give advice if I wanted it, or offer support if I needed it. She taught me how to take constructive criticism, how to look at feedback I've been given and honestly decide if it's helpful or not. She encouraged me to take a chance on people's advice; just make a copy of what I had, try out the advice, and see if I liked it or not. If I didn't, I could always go back to how it was before.

For not "being a writer" my mom was a great mentor for me becoming a writer. Every day I am still amazed at how much she helped me and influenced me as I was growing. I love the things she taught me and I still use a lot of her advice in my writing life today.

Now that I am a mother myself, I have tried to notice the talents my own children are displaying, and the interests they have. I only hope that I will be able to encourage my children to follow their dreams like my mom did. Writing is such an important and integral part of my life, and I can't imagine what I would be like without my mom's influence.

Thank you, Mom. Being a writer is one of the greatest gifts in my life.