I’m reading On writing by Stephan King and it’s feuling my writing in new ways. Not like I’d expected it to, I’m writing older memories as I go through his first chapter C.V, I started this series with Childhood Memories. 

Stephan King makes a really good point from a fleeting moment as a child. He wrote a story rather copied it from a comic, his mum liked it and asked if it was his own, he said no and she said write something yourself instead.

It brings up to allow moments for creativity to flourish, no matter the starting point or size. There’s more distractions than there was in the 1950s what with iPads, youtube, TV and games. I didn’t have any of that growing up in the 90’s, we had a TV but our computer was slow and the internet dropped out consistently.

Writing and collage were much quicker and fun to do.

King talks about the stories he wrote growing up, he sent some off to publication too and even at a young age collected rejection letters. A great practice for someone so young, writing becomes second nature and resilience forms a strong creative spirit.

I thought over stories I wrote when I was young, I used to like the prompt at school of writing instructions to an alien of how to do things, like make a cup of tea or how to play sports. Outside of school I remember writing a story about a turtle and an island (I drew a picture at the bottom) it was a page long and I’m almost certain it had a moral in it. Even then I liked stories with a deeper meaning, a theme, motif.

I also sent a story to print, the embarrassing stories section of a teen magazine. I wrote how mortified I was that one of my shoes flew across the dance floor to the DJ who made an announcement to the person who had lost their shoe to collect it. That too had an illustration, I was so happy my story made it. Small but special.

I got some praise and encouragement when small though I had two younger brothers and they got a lot of attention. I turned to journaling and yoga, it’s the best thing I could have done.

Tapping into creativity young then pursuing it is do able and important, there’s no cap on writing or making though the school system try and sway you. People make a living from creative living.