The Write Bea

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Bea, and I began to write since I was a preteen. I did not know that I wanted to write back then, I just remember feeling happy when I wrote for a “Just Say No to Drugs” essay writing contest and received an award from the sitting President of the United States of America.

No, scratch that… I am Bea; an aspiring writer and recipient of the “Just Say No to Drugs” award for an essay writing contest from President Ronald Reagan, before I entered middle school. Ahh, much better.

Writing. It is the most important skill that anyone can possess. It is the greatest of academic subjects: Math and Science, History and Geography, Reading and Writing. But you need one to be able to teach all of these. It is in entertainment: thrillers, drama, melancholy, horror, comedy, and the genres are endless. You can make a person smile and laugh, or you can hurt and make them cry. You can write an invitation, or you can end relationships. It can bring exhilarating excitement, or a confession of tears. Writing is the outlet of any and all emotions, it is a way to express your truth, and it is a gateway for the imagination. Writing belongs to you; they are your words, your thoughts, your ideas, your uniqueness. It is an Art that cannot be wrong.

My beginning.

It is fair to say that I wrote much when I was growing up. A great deal of it was very dark, dramatic, heart breaking stories about young love… you know, the average teenage girl’s lifelong experiences. I never knew just how vast the world was and that there was much more to write about. But it did keep my interest in writing consistent as I slowly gained perspective and knowledge.

Time - Strike one.

My life has taken many twists and turns in between writing projects. Getting married, going to college, having a family, caring for a child with health concerns. It was truly very difficult to fit all this into my writing agenda, so I had no choice but to make no brainer adjustments. Writing was going to be scheduled around my family and life. And, for the most part, that meant that writing would come, if at all, after work, after kid’s homework and ball practices, after parent meetings, fundraising, cleaning, shopping and let us not forget the dogs. The dogs were very needy, as well. After all this, it left me with about four hours of sleep every night for the next 20 years.

But I digress and my writing evolved, thankfully, as I gained understanding of the world, or at least, my little world. Life, however, never gave me time to write. It was sporadically that I would stay up until 2 o’clock in the morning just typing away, thinking to myself “this is it! This is the big novel!” only to get back to the hustle and bustle of a real life and a real job that paid real money for my very real debt. Life just happened.

Introvert - Strike two.

I also discovered that I am an introvert, which was quite the surprise for me but, better yet, a huge relief. I found it was much easier to write than to converse, and I still do in a lot of ways. When the revolutionary texting technology came about, I was ecstatic!

This was a big revelation as to why I have always been very shy to introduce my writing to an audience. There are very few people in my life that have read my work, and they are my biggest fans. Oh, yes, did I mention that they are also my family?

My husband has been my biggest advocate and encouraging force behind my writing. He has always afforded me the tools to write and allows me the space and the time when I need it. He gently reminds me to sit and write but is never overwhelmingly pushy. Although I still write short stories for him, I have taken several steps to come out of my shell and to put myself out there.

In a Perfect World

I have never pursued anything over the years like I have writing. When I find the time, I always go back and pick up where I left off in the latest story. It is the one thing I go back to repeatedly to unleash my creativity. I can sit for hours and just type away. I may not have many followers now, but I feel the time to come out of my sheltered box has come. Little by little, I would like to build an audience, learn, complete unfinished stories, and eventually flourish as a writer.

Writing full time will come with much learning, though. In a perfect world, I would take writing classes and everything that pertains to writing. In time, I would also love to teach, inspire, and encourage people of all ages to write. Having been at a place where I could not see myself as a writer, I would graciously encourage those who have had the fear of letting others into their writing world; I would push those who are afraid to come out of their safe zone to expose their creativity. I would make writing workshops/online classes available from both, the experience I gain from learning and by my own writing experiences. I would call the workshop “The Write Bea.” In between writing projects, I cannot forget to write e-books to sustain the interest and encourage other writers, including myself, with topics on a variety of writing subjects.

Lastly, but certainly not least, I would work very hard to become a published author. I know that there is much more in my heart, brain, and imagination than what I have worked on over my lifetime. I do not pretend to be the only one with this fiery hope, or to have an epiphany, but I do know that I have a lot more to offer.

Writing. Everything we do involves writing in some form. Anything from the music we hear and love, to the food we eat at our favorite eatery. Writing is universal. It is, in my opinion, the most important skill to learn, develop, have, and perfect. It is key to success. It is necessary to communicate and prevail. Becoming a prolific writer is my ultimate goal and greatest fulfillment. My biggest achievement. In a perfect world.