what the subject mEANS TO ME
I should start by saying that in a way, you could consider me a bit of phony, or just a lucky young woman depending on how you look at it. The main point is that unlike so many of my fellow Honors Mentorship students, I can't tell you that I always knew I wanted to be a writer. That's just not how it was for me. I didn't mature with my nose between the margins and my hand always clutching the rough spine of some novel. As a kid I spent most of my time outside in the mud or in the water, rebelling with all of the courage I could muster to stay far, far away from anything that involved technology and gadgets and anything that didn't seem immediately familiar to me. Even more so, I completely avoided anything even remotely resembling school work, which included any form of writing or storytelling.
Until my last year of middle school, the idea that writing could be my most beloved hobby never passed my mind. I did my best to get by, which for me meant getting A's to please my parents and spending the rest of my time imagining ways to avoid further contact with academics. I knew I needed a hobby, but I was a little too naive to care. Then, remarkably, one placed itself right beneath my nose.
Rapidly and without explanation, I found myself under the scrutiny of my literature teacher - albeit positive scrutiny. I'd turned in what I considered a run-of-the-mill writing assignment, a narrative on a meaningful life event, but in her eyes I'd written something of immeasurable value. Not only had I discovered my talent for writing with this work, but I discovered the outlet I needed to connect with the emotions and thoughts of the people around me, as well as the tool I needed to become more in touch with myself. With writing, I gradually discovered the power I required to become the person I always desired to be.
My involvement with The Gainesville Times and The Paper of Flowery Branch have helped me in numerous ways: I've learned that while I always considered myself a person on top of their game when it came to time management, I was completely wrong. The key to journalism, asides from just being a good reporter in general, is mastering the enigma that is time. It is all about balance. Another key to journalism? Short sentences. I am the first to admit that I have a deep and ardent love affair with sentences. Commas and semi-colons are my best friends as far as I'm considered, but in the world of journalism this will never fly. There is a reason why Nathaniel Hawthorne was never a reporter, and that's because in journalism it's all about keeping it short, sweet and simple. Long enough to be informative, but short enough to be interesting.
To say this challenged my writing style is a major understatement. By nature I tend to talk too much, and this translates into my writing constantly. I am a fan of the flowery and the convoluted, which for a time made the idea of journalistic writing distasteful. However, I've grown to admire it. The world of reporting definitely taught me the lesson I needed to learn one way or another in order to become a successful writer: simple sentences are important. That's why they exist. Use them.
In addition to molding my style into a more "mature" evolution of itself, I've also been forced to get out into the community and actually meet the people around me. I've become acquainted with several business owners and a handful of flat-out extraordinary people, and it's been an honor to gain exposure to citizens that I would otherwise never have known.
As John Green once wrote: "The world is not a wish granting factory." My future success cannot propel on sheer talent, and therefore I must continue to explore all factions of writing and strengthen my perspective. I am thankful that The Times and The Paper supported me on the first step of my exploratory journey.
Until my last year of middle school, the idea that writing could be my most beloved hobby never passed my mind. I did my best to get by, which for me meant getting A's to please my parents and spending the rest of my time imagining ways to avoid further contact with academics. I knew I needed a hobby, but I was a little too naive to care. Then, remarkably, one placed itself right beneath my nose.
Rapidly and without explanation, I found myself under the scrutiny of my literature teacher - albeit positive scrutiny. I'd turned in what I considered a run-of-the-mill writing assignment, a narrative on a meaningful life event, but in her eyes I'd written something of immeasurable value. Not only had I discovered my talent for writing with this work, but I discovered the outlet I needed to connect with the emotions and thoughts of the people around me, as well as the tool I needed to become more in touch with myself. With writing, I gradually discovered the power I required to become the person I always desired to be.
My involvement with The Gainesville Times and The Paper of Flowery Branch have helped me in numerous ways: I've learned that while I always considered myself a person on top of their game when it came to time management, I was completely wrong. The key to journalism, asides from just being a good reporter in general, is mastering the enigma that is time. It is all about balance. Another key to journalism? Short sentences. I am the first to admit that I have a deep and ardent love affair with sentences. Commas and semi-colons are my best friends as far as I'm considered, but in the world of journalism this will never fly. There is a reason why Nathaniel Hawthorne was never a reporter, and that's because in journalism it's all about keeping it short, sweet and simple. Long enough to be informative, but short enough to be interesting.
To say this challenged my writing style is a major understatement. By nature I tend to talk too much, and this translates into my writing constantly. I am a fan of the flowery and the convoluted, which for a time made the idea of journalistic writing distasteful. However, I've grown to admire it. The world of reporting definitely taught me the lesson I needed to learn one way or another in order to become a successful writer: simple sentences are important. That's why they exist. Use them.
In addition to molding my style into a more "mature" evolution of itself, I've also been forced to get out into the community and actually meet the people around me. I've become acquainted with several business owners and a handful of flat-out extraordinary people, and it's been an honor to gain exposure to citizens that I would otherwise never have known.
As John Green once wrote: "The world is not a wish granting factory." My future success cannot propel on sheer talent, and therefore I must continue to explore all factions of writing and strengthen my perspective. I am thankful that The Times and The Paper supported me on the first step of my exploratory journey.