My Writing: A Brief History by Colin VandenBerg

My earliest memory of enjoying writing was in third grade, when I received praise for short story assignments. The praise was not the main reason I enjoyed it, though. Writing came naturally to me and it let me express myself like no interaction with friends or teachers ever had. By fifth grade I was the only weirdo that enjoyed the writing prompts. When I was writing, I said exactly what I wanted to, and how I wanted to say it, without stuttering or having to deal with my social anxieties. When I write, it’s just me and keyboard/piece of paper; no one else.
In seventh grade I discovered journalism. I couldn’t believe my luck that all I had to do was write about school events and I could get published just like Roger Ebert. I also won third place in a local sci-fi fantasy short story contest. Even though I lost a little of that creativity over the years, I still like to write short fiction when I can. Journalism, though: that never went away.
I’ve been published in all kinds of articles in school newspapers ever since, and even briefly wrote for the teen section of LNP.
Over the years, I’ve developed a skill and love for writing film reviews. It’s an impossible dream that I could one day be a respected film critic. I can’t imagine stories any more, but I love to write about them. Writing about fiction inspires me, as does writing about sports, or organized events, or even news. In truth, the mere act of writing inspires me. At this point, it’s practically my identity.