Hello, friends, and Happy New Year! Today is the January meeting of The Insecure Writer's Support Group. The group was founded by our Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh. To view list members and this month's co-hosts, or to sign up and join the group, visit the IWSG page here.
I'm starting off this year by looking backwards several decades to the first story I ever wrote. My mom came upon the story a while ago while going through some boxes at her house, and it came as a surprise to me because I have no memory of writing it. The story is called Funny Bunny and I not only wrote it, but also did my own illustrations.
I created this masterpiece when I was eight years old and gave it to my mom as a present. No doubt she was thrilled ha. 😉😀
One thing that stands out to me when I look at this is that apparently even as a child I had a taste for the macabre. Funny Bunny goes out looking for lettuce for dinner and finds a fox who he tells about his search. The fox says he is also looking for dinner and poor Funny Bunny becomes that dinner. The twist makes me laugh and also makes me wonder about my childhood mind.
But the main thing I think of when I see this story is that I know for sure that the eight year old version of me who created it had no worries about not being able to write or not being creative. I just did it because I wanted to create a story. Somewhere in the succeeding decades my brain started telling me I couldn't write, wasn't creative, wasn't this, couldn't do that.
I'm grateful to have overcome some of those doubts and fears in the past decade, but like many of us I still struggle with insecurities and the dreaded imposter syndrome. So in this new year and new decade I'm resolving to get back to the (slightly twisted) little kid who had an idea for a story, wrote it down, and had fun doing it. I'm excited about several writing projects and ideas right now and plan to enjoy the simple process of creating.
I wish you all a very Happy New Year and here's to lots of writing and creating in the days and years to come.
As another probably-more-than-slightly-twisted kid to another - I bet we would've been friends back then. Our playdates would've been very interesting...and maybe kind of creepy. But in a good way. :)
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DeleteWe all need that reminder. Why we wrote and how uninhibited we were when we first started.
ReplyDeleteI still have a story I wrote in grade school. What I wish I had was a Thanksgiving poem that my dad "helped" me write in either 2nd or 3rd grade.
ReplyDeleteTeresa C.
Love the quote! And it's inspiring!
ReplyDeleteSo awesome your mom saved those precious memories! My mom threw everything out, and because of that, I've saved all my children's stories from kindergarten, and all through college. Now to give it all back to them...LOL!
Happy New Year, Julie. I'm sure your mum was very proud, and still is. Loved your bunny-horror story.
ReplyDeleteSo cute! I still have my first-ever illustrated story I created when I was about 6 or 7.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
Aww cute! I started writing at a similar age, and it really is inspiring to look back on past work and be reminded why you started writing in the first place:)
ReplyDeleteSpeaking as a mother, YES, your mother WAS thrilled with your illustrated story. If she weren't, she wouldn't have kept it all these years.
ReplyDeleteYou have nothing to be insecure about, Julie. Your writing shines. Your mom knew it then, and we know it now. And now, it's time for YOU to know it. Happy New Year!
Don't let your gloomy brain win. What does it know. Let your eight-year-old heart run free. 2020 will be a great year.
ReplyDeleteAnna from elements of emaginette
I like it. You had such an understanding of nature and death at such a young age. I bet that understanding has served you well in our modern world.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI believe it is so important not to lose the child within us. Wordsworth said the child is the father of man. Those words ring true in me. I hope you walk tall in this new decade and rediscover that child that is hiding within you.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
Awesome that your mom saved your story. Hoping we all have a great year and decade of writing.
ReplyDeleteYour creative inspiration started at an early age, Julie. What a lovely find to revisit.Hope the new year brings lots of writing possibilities for us all.
ReplyDeleteThat's amazing you still have those! What an excellent start.
ReplyDeleteThat twist made me laugh, too. Sounds like something I would have written at that age. (and my current age...) Much to my mother's delight. :)
ReplyDeleteHappy writing!!
LOL! Cute twists. And at eight, that's amazing. Glad your mom kept your story. My mom kept mine also.
ReplyDeleteI wish you had put photos of the entire "Funny Bunny" story up, Julie. I would have enjoyed reading it all. The "dark" twist at the end was funny and not unexpected for that age! As a retired second and third grade teacher, I have to compliment you on your great handwriting, in addition to your story! I always loved and appreciated how young kids will fearlessly tackle all kinds of challenges. I wish that I had my early stories. The earliest I have goes back to grade six. Thank goodness I have a few early letters. Happy writing in 2020!
ReplyDeleteYay you! Just let your imagination play and see what happens. That's my plan :)
ReplyDeleteA good reminder about how free our imaginations can run when we don't worry about the rules.
ReplyDeleteWhat a treasure your mom found! I loved the bunny illustration that you created to go with your story.
ReplyDeleteHi Julie, same pinch, my first story too was about a Bunny :) but I was much older than eight years.
ReplyDeleteHow adorable (and yes, a little macabre) haha I love that 1) you dedicated it to your mom and 2) she still had it. I keep my kids' art work and writings too. I can't wait until I can it down. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteElsie
What a treat to read something you wrote so long ago.
ReplyDeleteI love the twisted story! I hope you find that freedom and joy once again.
ReplyDelete"Nice day, isn't it?" Hehe. Good conflict in your story! So cute.
ReplyDeleteOMG I recently found some of my daughter's early "books" (tablet paper, block printing, cut and stapled together)and one of them was about a family of rabbits. She admitted she may have been influenced by Peter Rabbit, but her ending was also 'bunny became dinner'.
ReplyDeleteLike you, for the coming year I'm also trying to reclaim some of the childlike joy and wonderment in just telling a story.
Aww, what a special story. You’re so lucky your mom saved it. You were meant to be a writer!
ReplyDeleteI'd say that your childhood mind thought outside of the box, and I bet your mother really was thrilled by your gift.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
I’m very impressed with Funny Bunny! You had quite an imagination for an eight-year-old, and I really liked your illustrations. How wonderful that your mom saved your story. She must have known you’d be an accomplished author one day. It also brought back lots of memories seeing your cursive writing. My teachers always had trouble reading my writing until I finally got an electric typewriter later in high school. Sadly, my printing isn’t much better. This was a fun walk down memory lane, Julie!
ReplyDeleteJulie
I used to write stories and sell them to my mom. She always was my biggest fan.
ReplyDeleteYou're right about the difference between kids and adults. Kids are so fearless in their dreams, We should be more like them.
awwww! and here I thought Funny Bunny might be a second kids' book to go with Baby Moo. Glad we're writer friends =) Hope we can do another event soon.
ReplyDeleteHappy 2020!
I used to make up stories for my friends when I was kid. Enjoyed hearing about your journey. I am late making the rounds. Happy IWSG!
ReplyDeleteWhat a delightful memory you now have of "Funny Bunny" and his search of a meal. Mean old fox!
ReplyDeletewww.thepulpitandthepen.com
Love it.
ReplyDeleteHaha, aw, so fun to see what your first story was! (And that twist ending...perfect! XD)
ReplyDeleteAnd I can relate so, soooo well to your insecurities. (Mine always get worse every year, sigh.) Good luck recapturing the fun of creativity so you can keep those pesky insecurities at bay!
That's adorable (and funny), and such a good reminder to all of us. Enjoy the process of creation instead of judging yourself and holding yourself back.
ReplyDeleteHi Julie - what fun ... and I love that twist in the tale. But you're right ... if only we could keep our childhood outlooks ... good luck with all your stories and publications - cheers Hilary
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