2009 Has been a world of discovery for me when it has come to writing. I'm still not very good, I still cant seem to ever finish a story, and I still randomly throw in commas just in case they go there, then of course don't put them where they belong. All of that aside, I have learned tons of things this year some good, and some.... well we all know writing has its ups and downs. It's difficult to narrow them down to just ten little things, especially when your brain is crowded and as a young writer school projects take up eighty percent of the space (do you know how hard it is to find the rainfall total in one county for a category one hurricane from 1995?), but alas, we all have challenges in our life, and I'm willing to take this one on. These are the ten things I've learned: 10. You do not write. No one really writes. We are all controlled by the voices in our heads and typing or using a pen is just a way to get them to zip their lips briefly. Whether you are tackling a paper on herbs, or throwing a daring heorin into the dragon's den, the words are only an escape. Some people will try to deny the voices in their heads are there, it's useless. Normal people will scoff at your voices, you simply need to take a moment to make fun of them, because they are too deaf to hear their own voices. Childish? Yes, but where's the fun in hearing voices if you don't take advantage of it? 9. "Writing is good for you, it builds characters." This has been a quote I have recently come up with, whether some famous person once said it and it's secretly written on the back of the statue of liberty, is still up in the air, but I like it, mostly because it's true. I used to simply write because I enjoyed it, making up my own characters and letting them live was exciting and fun. Now I realize that it helps me relax, it keeps me sane during the hectic school projects or the overwhelming drama that despite your attempts to stay out of, your friends enevitably drag you down into. Writing is a release, and I think that it would be good for everyone, physically, emotionally, to write themselves. Whether you like to or not, I've learned, you still have to do it most days anyway, why not enjoy it. 8. I tend to go on and on. I also lack detail. I do not know exactly how i manage this, but I do. I think it should be considered a special talent, and get me into college. I've learned this year, mostly, that I can not fix these issues unless I keep writing, which is all fine and dandy, those voices that I mentioned, you know Tom and Sarah, and Will and Jess, fighting dragons, or Jackie Cochran telling me how to write her biography, (see I told you I tend to run on, really do have to stop that), those voices won't leave me alone. So I will continue writing, and continue to use my special ability to run on and lack detail at the same time. 7. I usually don't make sense to anyone. My writing is just incomprehensible most days, but that is quite alright, no one reads it anyway. 6. When using big words, expect to be asked what the mean. Repeatedly.Even if you swear you learned them in second grade and can't comprehend how some adults can't understand you. 5. You will never like what you write, others will thinks it's fantastic, and you will proceed to point out every spelling error, every grammer mistake, and then go through to fix them all. Only to find more when you re-read it. This will drive not only you insane, but everyone around you, who you repeatedly take the story from because you found errors and won't let them read the rest. 4. There are no original stories, there are just really good replicas of old fairy tales. People will still read stories anyway, because like my stories, no one reads old fairy tales, or Jane Austen anymore, and I'm talking about the versions without zombies. 3. Some people will like to call themselves valuable critics, they say they've read so and so many stories and that makes them qualified to judge yours, it really doesn't unless they know what a good story is, just don't tell them that, or they get really angry. 2. Right around this far into things, I tend to run out of intellegent comments to make and start floundering around. This is when I throw in a stupid analogy about some fish gasping for air, that makes people look at me funny. I've learned to use these hilarious ecpressions, and that tend to make really good things to write about until you can think up something witty. Can't you just imagine their mouth's slightly ajar, with a dazed look on their faces as you comment about something stupid, and imagine how silly it be to remark on them catching flies? 1. Last but not least, I've learned to just write, even if it stinks like rotten eggs, you hate it, it makes no sense, has too many comas, runs on, and lacks detail, still write. In the end you will hopefully realize, after rentless hours of editing that you have the next best seller, at least thats what you dream every night. Whether it's good or bad, it's still your writing, something to be proud of and take heart in. If nothing else, something to reread when you are older and go, "Wow, did I seriously write this?", and get a few good laughs.