Literacy Narrative Fixes

(I had the last name and page numbers of the right hand corner in word but it does not show up in the blog.)

Annie Kramer

 Dr. deGarvelles

English Block 4

9 September, 2013

Who You Are

         Every since I was little, I wanted to be known, to do something that was important and helpful for people or things in need.  There are many different things I tried, but nothing seemed to fit.  My dad says, “You are not only your achievements but also your failures, - you are as only good as you learn from the bad.  It’s how you get up, and react to your failing.  Eventually, if you keep trying you will find something that works.”  That popped up in my mind a lot, which motivated me to keep trying more things, however like before nothing worked.  In Sunday school, a known author read us a book about a handicapped horse from Hurricane Katrina.  The book and author inspired me, and I realized that I wanted to be a writer too!  It was the perfect opportunity, being known and doing something that I thought was easy.  I wanted to be a writer.

         I was in Mrs. Jewel’s class, in first grade.  She was just finishing math when she announced, “Class our next project will be writing a book.”  After our voices settled down from all different feelings, she then added, “You will first pick your partner, then decide what you are going to write about.”   We could write about anything that we wanted.  Inside my first thought was ‘great, another project,’ but secretly inside I was happy and I wanted to write.

         I remember sitting at the blue round table with the cold blue chair.  This assignment was with partners.  Mine was a friend named Emily.  We had no idea what to write about.  My mind seemed blank, like all the ideas in my head had just flown out.  I was intensely worried we would not come up with an idea, or an idea that wasn’t unique.  I remember thinking that everyone else had their ideas and were writing and we had no idea.  Emily was sitting in front of me.  Looking at her, I remember smiling and thinking in my head what we were going to write about.  She looked up at me confused, but also happy, knowing that we at least had an idea.  Then I told her we were going to write about two princesses named Emily and Annie, and each one had a horse.  The horses followed a butterfly in the forest.  She was not convinced, but I said in excitement, “We can tweak it!” trying to convince her.  She nodded, happy that we finally came up with an idea.  Without help, we began pre-writing and practicing the drawings that were going to fill the pages.  Then individually, we started.  We each wrote our own book in which we were required to write and draw.  Finally we began writing.  We wrote and wrote about the two royal sisters who were living in a castle, riding their horses and started to follow a butterfly.  The book was perfect in my first grade mind.  I loved it!

         After I wrote the book and turned it in, I concluded that I loved writing, and wanted to be an author.  It looked so easy to me.  I had already written my first book, and it was a success.  Not knowing that it would be so hard, writing another book was my vision.  I told my mom, with excitement and enthusiasm, trying to persuade her that I should write.   She thought about it, and since it was educational and would develop me as a writer, she agreed.  Next, we both went to the store to buy blank books for writing.  The books were beautiful crisp and white with a smell that could only come from new books.  It was great, I opened and looked at it; I loved the idea anything could happen on this page.  I was happy to then finally get started on the first page, with motivation and energy.  It was going to be a picture book for little kids.  I wanted to start off easy. 

                   This project was laid out all over the den next to my dad’s office, also in my mom’s scrapbook room upstairs.  It was a mess to some people, but to me a joy.  Long hard hours were spent cutting out the shapes and creations for my book.  When you first opened the first page it was a collage of different colored paper; I had created the outdoors.  There were birds, trees, edgy grass, and even a small brown nest just for the bird’s babies.  Next I wrote the words, my favorite part, the one I have been looking forward to the whole time.  It took hours, although I was determined to at least finish the first page.  Finally, I finished the first page.  It was about my family, my dad, mom, and brother at the park.  My goal was to incorporate them, make it personal and special.  I worked so hard and I was so tired.  My mind was in absolute chaos because not only was it this hard, but also only the first page was written.   The idea that this is what writers do all day, every day, blew my mind.  Knowing this blew my mind not only because it was hard, but also because you have to be successful at it to be known.  I concluded that I might not be a writer after all.

         Even though I may not be a professional writer I loved writing the book, and still have it too.  Mainly why I love writing is because you can get your own thoughts on paper and anything can happen.  I love that idea, that anything can happen when writing is just like dreaming.  Writing still keeps me curious today.  What keeps me writing more and loving it is the idea that anything can happen.

         There are two things I learned that year in first grade about writing.  One is that I love writing, and the other is that I won’t be a professional writer.