Thursday, October 2, 2008

"Why I Write" --Jeannette Walls

I write because I absolutely love to. I write to share-to get my story out. If everybody tells their own story, what we can learn from each other is infinite.  Everything from being a little girl demon hunting in the desert to walking the crowded streets of New York City has been an experience. Your experiences aren't like anybody elses -it'd be a shame not to tell them.

Telling the story of my childhood-whether you think it horrific or remarkable-is a way for me to share my hope. I do it for all of us-my sisters, my brother, my mother, and my father. To write with the intention of self-pity is so untrue-so fake. I want to illustrate with my words the importance of forgiveness and never giving up.  

I knew writing was my passion from the very first day I worked on my school's newspaper. It felt like nothing I'd ever experienced to have the freedom to choose any words I wanted to say anything I wanted. And to have people listen? It's just wonderful. To this day, I still feel that same triumph of sharing my words I felt back in Welch, West Virginia working on the The Maroon Wave. Everyone in my family made life an adventure, everyone had something to give-Mom and Lori with their art, Brian with his braveness, Dad with his boldness and peculiar charm, and me-with my writing. 

2 comments:

theteach said...

Did you grow up in Welch, WVa? Did you like living in WVa?

I grew up in WVa and recently spent two years in southern WVa.

Sweeney Todd Inc. said...

That was really good! I like the line "To write with the intention of self-pity is so untrue - so fake", because that is so completely true. I aslo like the incorporation of all the hyphens, it deffinately seperates this piece from others.