WW XIV

Writers week was truly a great experience for me, not just because I actually participated in it, but also because the writers instilled a new passion in me. The first day, we started out with Bill Kelly. I enjoyed him a lot, even though he didn't give much presence while speaking, because I really enjoyed the movies he wrote, especially Enchanted. I loved how he told us to follow our passion, no matter who people think you are. He said something like, "It doesn't matter who you are or where you're from. Try your hardest to be what you can." This really reached out to me because for my entire life, I've always had a doubt about myself. Hearing someone who successfully followed his dream say this inspired me to keep trying my best to become what I want to be.

After Kelly, we saw Billy Lombardo. Although he was a great writer, his pieces scared me a little. They were really dark and violent, two characteristics I'm not very fond of.
I really loved Scott Woldman and Co. not just because they were hilarious, but also because they're so good at singing and the plot is so well thought out. It was such an interesting plot and really unique. However, their jokes were repetitive and very scandelous. It felt uncomfortable hearing those crude remarks because I don't support them, but also because there were so many teachers around. Daphne Willis was also a great group to listen to because she showed us that writing's not all about the essays and research papers, but it can inspire people in other forms. She had an amazing voice, and I was so jealous she could sing like that.

This year, I was so glad we got to wrap up Writer's Week with the legendary Marc Smith. Although I saw him last year, his poems still leave me in awe and inspiration. He is such an amazing poet, and it always amazes me how a man of that age can climb a railing and memorize over 200 poems. I always hated writing because I felt it was just an obligation; just another essay for just another English class. However, after this week, everything my friends said would be a brainstorm for a story or a poem in my head. For example, I was in gym class, and we were "supposed" to be running laps on the shelf, but the narrow lanes were congested so my friends and I opted to go behind the bleachers and go around to the other side. My friend simply commented on how quiet it was, and I thought about what she said; how just that single wall of bleachers could separate the loud from the soft, the noisy from the quiet, the vigorous from the still.

My writing experience was also so amazing. I wasn't nervous at all until I woke up Thursday morning and remembered that I was speaking first period. I thought I was prepared, but as I sat on the couches on the stage, I couldn't remember any motions I was supposed to do, or whether or not my accents would turn out to be funny. I started to get nervous about whether or not the students would really like what I wrote, but after being so generously supported by the other writers on stage as well as the audience, my fears dissipated and now all I remember is a good experience. Thank you Writers Week!