Growing up in a small town, I was always one of the brightest in my class...but I did have a bit of a head start. My grandpa taught me how to read by age 3...so I sat by the side reading in kindergarten waiting for the other kids to learn.
I first discovered Harry Potter in junior high...and fell in absolute love with the books.
Would you like to know something funny?
I hated writing growing up. Anytime there was an essay due in class, I dreaded it. I hated short stories, I loathed poetry.
It wasn't until a good friend of mine told me about this "fanfiction" world back in November of 2002, when I was a sophomore in high school, that the idea even sprung into mind. Write about characters that already exist? Isn't that plagiarism? But upon finding out about the amazing "disclaimer" concept, I immediately decided to jump headfirst into writing my own story on November 2nd, 2002. That was the very beginning of "Bad Company".
Chapters 1-3 were all written that night, and quickly followed in the next weeks by about 25 more Chapters. The chapters I wrote then were short...and generally not up to the par I pride myself upon now. But it was a learning experience.
After some harsh feedback (which everyone needs to learn to grow as a writer), my chapters began to get longer. The story began to get darker...and before I knew it, my creativity abounded enough to offspring some smaller projects. That was when both "Office Space" and "Weather is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful" cropped up.
Interesting, huh?
If you would like an idea of how greatly my approach to writing and my writing style have changed thanks to the fanfiction world, I urge you to compare the beginning chapters of "Bad Company" with some of my more recent stories, "Hot Gimmick", "Steal My Kisses", and my latest, "Unwritten", and let me know what you think.
I'd say that things have changed.
Instead of a young high-schooler who really wasn't sure how to write, I am in my second year at state college...and I feel more assured in my style. Fanfiction has greatly helped me to get where I am today. And even though my major is Psychology...I still have dreams of becoming a writer. I don't know if they will ever be realized, but the dreams themselves are ones I hold very dear to my heart.
I will always be thankful to that friend that got me involved in fanfiction. I will always appreciate and love my reviewers, because it was really just your feedback that has helped me to get any better in the first place, and it is your continual support that actually allows me to improve.
Thank You!
i
o
g
r
a
p
h
y