Some people tend to describe me as
an old soul. I think it’s just a euphemism for being quiet and “in-my-own-head”
a lot of the time, but that’s fine by me. I’ve loved stories ever since I was a
child, plucking Greco-Roman mythology books off of the lowest shelf at the
school library since it was the only one I could reach. I suppose in many ways,
I’m still a child, but I’m an adult too. And, no matter my age, I love to
write. So, being a teenager and a writer, here are some common misconceptions
and realities when it comes to writing (books/blogs/poetry/all else) as a teen.
MYTH- You need to be an adult to write.
FACT- Writing starts since you first learn how to write your
name. Writing starts ever since you write the words “the end” for the very
first time. However, if you define true writing as publication, then that
brings me to my next myth…
MYTH- The youngest writer in the world is (insert age here).
FACT- The youngest writer in the world can be in the first
week of infancy (ok, maybe not) for all you know. The youngest worldwide-known,
published author is a different matter entirely.
MYTH- You have no idea what you’re doing when writing as a
teenager. Give it up and wait until you’re older.
FACT- Be honest with yourself here, do any of us know
exactly what we’re doing each and every day? The only way to learn how to write
is through experience. Write now, write often. There are adults out there who
have no idea how to write because somebody’s bad advice scared them from ever
trying. Do not be afraid. Write and learn from it.
MYTH- Alright, so this is a teenager myth this time. School
is taking up too much of my time to be a writer. I feel stifled by the
institution and cannot write.
FACT- Try to be open-minded. There are plenty of writers in
the world who grew up feeling just as you did. Writing is from experience.
School does not make writers. Writers make writers. BUT it’s the writer’s experiences that truly make the writer.
Yes, even school can make the writer. You can take any class and find poetry in
it, even calculus, as one of my good high school teachers said. If you cannot
find something to inspire you in every class, then you’re doing it wrong.
History has the word “story” in it for a reason. If somebody couldn’t find
something to inspire them in a certain field- inventors and geniuses of all
sorts- then why would they have discovered the branches of science/math as they
did? Something inspired them. Somebody invented
the computer or geometry, philosophy and psychology. If you can find that
inspiration too, then you can take it and write your own stories from it.
MYTH- All teenagers write about is teen angst. Any teenager
can do that.
FACT- Again, writers write from experience. I went through high
school angst, staring out a window and going, “Is that all there is?” But all
writers insert themselves into their stories. Take Kafka, for example. He
underwent periods of depression and isolation, and you found those aspects in
his works, like, “The Metamorphosis”. Your writing is your soul. Embrace that.
MYTH- The publishing world isn’t going to take me seriously.
FACT- Treat writing with the respect it deserves. Write to
practice and further your craft. Keep a journal of ideas. Submit to magazines and
address professional writing people (shout-out to the ever-wonderful Stephanie
Taylor here) with respect in order to garner respect for yourself. It’s never
too early to make a name for yourself out there. And it’s never too late
either.
Sincerely,
Sophia M. Whittemore (a teenage writer)
