“It is with words as with sunbeams. The more they are condensed the deeper they burn,” quote by Robert Southey. This quote greatly relates to me and is perceived influential in my eyes. Writing not only inspires me, it reflects who I am.


My love for writing is perpetual and I can honestly say it has been this way continuously throughout my life. I can remember back when I was younger before I started school, my grandmother taught me how to write my name capitalized and lowercase. These were my earliest memories of writing, and soon became an extreme factor for me in third grade.


In Ms. Hartung’s class, I was interested in dinosaurs at the time and figured it would be fun to write a biography on the extinct creatures. I free willingly wrote it and decided to add some pictures to my informational piece. To my surprise, the simple task of creation and imagination turned into a huge deal. My teacher was so impressed, she submitted my biography to the young Author’s and I won a medal. From that day on, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in writing.


Can this be my talent I can carry on and become great at?


I have received endless compliments and praises from educators, peers and my family about my creativeness in writing; such as, “Karen this is great! You are so talented in writing you should definitely become a writer when you grow up.” Many of my various pieces are beloved by people, whether it is poems, reports, stories or anything. I believe time, dedication, emotions and feelings, as well as an expanded vocabulary are elements that make a great writer. I demonstrate each of these elements in my writing pieces, and literary elements; some of which include sensory details, figurative language, metaphors, similes, hyperboles, and much more literary elements.

To catch a fish, you hook your bait, throw it in the water, wait patiently and eventually you will catch your prey; but before you get too excited, keep hold of it so it doesn’t get away. This is how you can tell a great writer from an ordinary one. To be a great writer, you have to grab the reader’s attention (the bait) and hold on to the reader throughout your piece so they don’t get lost or ignore it. For example, if you read my piece Mein Deutsch Geschenk, most likely you don't even know what that means, so it creates a sense of curiosity to see what the piece is about. Also, in my first paragraph I describe someone who means the world to me, which also wants you to know more about her. I like to have my readers curious and thinking and sometimes putting themselves into my writing as if the were there.

Often you will find me in my favorite place to write, snuggled deep within the depths of my comforters writing for entertainment; either fiction, non-fiction, lyrics to songs or simply a description of my roller coaster of decisions and morality in which I call “life.” I have to admit I enjoy writing so much, that when it is time to write these literary pieces in school, I do not see it as a forceful task, I merely see it as a chance to awe someone with my writing. Honestly it is my favorite part of school; it is my escape from reality and into a world of words and structure. I don’t know much of math, science, or the main events we encounter, but I do know writing.

Middle school was important training for me. I was in the Communications/Broadcasting program from sixth to eighth grade, I wrote stories for other students to broadcast to the school on our television. Eighth grade year I was chosen to be on the writer’s team which consisted me and other members to counsel fellow sixth and seventh graders who struggle with writing. I helped give advice and effective hints to help them better their writing and make it come to life. I felt spectacular in helping others, especially involving the subject I love.

During freshman year through junior year, my English teachers have been enlightened in my writing and some of my pieces were even chosen to be used as examples to other classes of a “well written” piece. The satisfaction is overwhelming and it inspires me every year to learn and advance even more to expand my knowledge in writing and its techniques to become the great writer I strive to be.

Writing is my infinite escape, and I want to be lost in it forever. I’m not going to babble on to you about how much I love writing, and I won’t tell you that I never come across issues; I do. My main problems I come in contact with in writing are the beginning, end and titles of a piece. Sometimes I often have writer’s block. I try increasingly to achieve a great piece, although starting it and ending it always has me digging deeper. A great piece can grab a reader’s attention in the first paragraph and pull them into it grasping them and tightening the squeeze; and that is what I put my most effort in, the ending as well. Regardless of my minor struggles, words spill out of my mind on to my paper and combine together to form a work of art. Orally, I cannot explain my reasoning’s or express myself, but with paper and a pen, I will blow you away and have you picking up the remaining pieces of your mind.

My writing and knowledge has advanced from many different sources, but none more important than reading. Sometimes I will sit for hours reading the dictionary (yes I am a nerd) because I want to expand my vocabulary. I want to learn new, more advanced words. I feel that by having a greater level of vocabulary. It can turn a writing piece into a masterpiece if you know how to use the words properly. For example, if you refer back to my second paragraph, I use the word “perpetual” to describe my love for writing. Generally, many of my peers do not even know what this word means, I have them questioning and wondering what it means, and it means “everlasting/never ending.”


My earliest memories in reading were when I read Barney books and various first grade books, to my mom before I was enrolled in school. If I came to a word I didn’t know or couldn’t pronounce, she would tell me to sound it out and process it slowly. The more I tried and repeated certain complicated words, the more I advanced in reading.

Additionally in eighth grade, I was chosen to be on the reading team, in which I went to Indian Trail Elementary school to tutor struggling readers. I helped a few students sound out words and carefully guided them through reading. Participating in this activity made me feel reliable and helpful.

Furthermore, my reading is above my grade level and always has been. During middle school, every year we had to take the SRI which tested our reading abilities, and I always scored higher than my grade average. I enjoy reading books that require me to think. Sometimes I get ideas from books I enjoy, and I convert my ideas inspired by the books into my own writing. Recently I have been reading books that require full concentration in order to understand and comprehend what is occurring, and which contains rich language. My most favorite I have been reading currently are: Danse Macabre, The Coffin Dancer, The DaVinci Code, and many of my all time favorite Edgar Allan Poe stories/poems. Anytime I come across a word I do not know, I look it up in the dictionary; this also helps me learn and expand.

The quote by Robert Southey, “It is with words as with sunbeams. The more they are condensed the deeper they burn,” if we take this in consideration we can greatly value its meaning. The more words are evaluated and understood, the more meaning and purpose they have.

I hope that from the knowledge I have gained in the past eleven years, I can go a great distance and make my writing career dream come true. The evaluation through my eyes as a writer has greatly set the path for my future. I hope to better and advance myself to get further in life. If I make it working as a journalist at a local news station or writing for the Courier Journal, I will look back on all of my past educators and inspirations and remember what I have learned to come this far.