It all came together when I learned how to spell. My grandparents were deaf-mute and we couldn’t talk until I cracked the alphabet and fast. I had a lot to say. The first word I formed with my breathless fingers was –
I spelled it over and over and over again, one trembling letter at a time, until my wrist ached and their exhausted eyes crossed.
At 7, I wrote my first and worst poem in my cousin Sara’s kitchen. With a pinch and a knowing wink, she pinned it to her corkboard where it hung; poked and prodded, for more years than I knew how to count. Unlike my siblings, numbers never came as easily to me as letters.
Two years ago, Sara was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and decided to give my neurotic poem back to me, before she forgot. Like her memory, it is pricked full of holes.
My Grade 4 English teacher Mrs. Ashkenazy was my patron of primary school. With her gentle, toothy smile and checkered slacks, she was the first person who totally got I was a writer and told me so. She gave me permission and a mantra I will boil down – to encourage all you bursting writers out there to find your own voice:
In my earliest work of short fiction; the protagonist was Windy… the wind. Every Friday night, she would blow through the hollow of an ancient tree to see her grandmother (a Jewish squirrel), for some forever love and ass-whupping chicken soup. Windy’s boyfriend was Stormy. I somehow intuited the hard rock in romance because as I teetered theatrically on the edge of 9, what I didn’t know for sure, I made up.
Because I was born a writer. I don’t know or care why I am so cursed and so blessed. Writing can be lonely, but truth to tell, I wake up every day to the sound of human voices laughing, crying, whispering, shouting, filling my heart and rushing my brain. In other words, I am never alone.
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Painting courtesy of the artist Edith Dora Rey. Check out more of her visceral, emotional work here.
*Who writes with a pencil these days? Fran Leibowitz once said that writing is the process of slowing down your thoughts, so using the archaic tool might force the issue. Try it if you’re blocked!
For more reading about my writing and its process, Between the Lines, How to Stop Smoking & Keep Writing and On Writing.
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Help me buy a new keyboard!
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GOOD NEWS FLASH: SAVING WHALES!! ‘Japan has cancelled its annual Antarctic whaling hunt for the first time in more than a quarter of a century, in line with a UN court ruling that the program was a commercial activity disguised as science.’
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42 Responses to A Writer is Born.
allo Brenda since you say you love to hear from us then here I am:
Still touched by your ¨plume¨
I work in Paris for 2 months so heats my lonely Canadian heart to read from you.
You are not alone behind your pencil. We are listening.
And yes indeed you are a writer.
Kisses from France
Mathieu Beaudin
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Allo Mathieu et merci!! Your words are particularly sweet because you are a (sound) artist I greatly admire.
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A Jewish squirrel. Of course.
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I’m glad you understand.
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Absolutely.
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I love your story about your grandparents and your early writing attempts. I’m sure there are many more to come!
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If I run out, I’ll just have to make them up.
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That’s what I do! MUS!
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Candy…that might have been my first word, too! Sometimes I write with a pen to get off the computer and I find it does help me slow and write with less pressure. Then, when I go to type it up, it becomes draft 2. 🙂 Always a delight, Brenda.
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I tried to pencil a few words for this post and couldn’t draw a straight line. Thanks, Amy!
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I heart your writing. Will you introduce us, ask it if it’ll be my Valentine. 🙂
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Consider yourself introduced. She’s for you and all.
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All I can say is: Write on!
Ez
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At this point in my life, I’m unstoppable. 😉
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What a gift to have people in your young life to push your writing ability. A nice tribute.
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It’s all grist for the writer’s mill. Thanks!
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‘Because i was born a writer’.. sometimes (most time in fact) when I feel as though my writing can be so uninspiring compared to many, or my uni assessments are a let down I always question whether I’m pursuing the right career pathway as a journalist. However, after reading this post, it really made me so so happy because yes, i was born a writer. At a young age i surrounded myself with Dr Seuss books, Roald Dahl, Paul Jennings and R.L Stine and i’ll always remember my passion for reading and writing. So thank you ^_^
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I’m happy you’re happy! Read and write on.
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Thank you so much =)
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Wow I love your story ! 🙂
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Thank you kindly.
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With the exception of the sign language and Mrs Ashkenazy, you have captured my feelings so completely, Brenda. Beautiful, tender, so meaningful.
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Everyone has a story and some of us feel the absolute imperative to write it down. Thanks, dear Dawn!
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I loved your reference to the stories and voices that you wake to each day… I feel like a story is always unfolding in my head, as I take in and process everything around me. Again beautiful post!
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and I like it
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I’m glad!
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I imagine this winter you are not too worried about the snow (and cold!) being taken. When spring finally takes the snow we will all have a little extra spring fever!
I love this little story, Brenda. The tender steps of growing into the beautiful writer you are.
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My worry about the snow has a new name: climate change.
I’m delighted you enjoy this story, Karen, now, I’d love to hear how you grew into the beautiful artist and photographer you are!
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I loved your post. Really nice and full of heart. Sometimes it is painful to go through all the childhood memories, especially connected with someone deceased. It happened to me when I was selling my parents’ house. A lot of stuff from my primary school, my small artworks etc. It hurts when you realize the temporality of everything we create/have. Peace to all and enjoy everything as it lasts.
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We may die, but love lives forever and gets passed on through the generations. That’s my two cents and perennial inspiration. Peace to you, John, and welcome!
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[…] tears did flow. I was flooded with frustration, itching to get back to the roller-coaster ride of my writing life. Two months later, as I type this post, it finally hits me what I learned from lying down: I needed […]
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Born to be a writer – or a writer born – is a great path. You have the whole world inside of you. 🙂
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Maybe that’s why my heart always feels so full. 🙂
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A good job
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How am I just seeing this?! Like finding a foil-wrapped truffle in the bottom of my purse. Somehow mysteriously unharmed and totally delicious in a life-affirming way.
I love your word journey. Utterly poignant (and chocolate-y.)
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You do great comments, Jen. Thank you. It’s been a while since I’ve written a long-form piece, so my question is: how to turn the single truffle into a whole box? I’m hoping the Senior High series is part of the answer.
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[…] For more of my musing about writing, read A Writer is Born. […]
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That is do damn true! But unfortunately even if I think that I was born a writer, I discovered it so late. To be honest, even though I loved writing, I used to be so shitty at it! I tried writing stories and now when I read them, I just laugh in embarrassment. Like you I had an English teacher in seventh grade who was very impressed with my work. That is what led me to start some serious writing. Since then I have only one goal, that is improve at it. Unfortunately, I joined medical school, which minimizes the time I can give to writing but I never a miss a day without jotting down at least one line that I create.
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If you must write, then you write, whether you are good at it or not. And you keep doing it because that’s what you do. To complete the journey; you share it, and no matter what the response, you keep writing.
Welcome!
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[…] more of my musings on writing, click A Writer is Born and Between the […]
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[…] more of my musings on writing, click A Writer is Born, How to stop smoking, keep writing and do something else with your hands and Between the […]
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[…] A Writer is Born […]
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