I write because it is an escape from the world, an escape from a reality that seems to come straight from a dystopian novel. I write because sometimes it is easier to write than to talk. I write when I am bored. I write when I am excited. I write just to write because sometimes the most amazing feeling in the world is just picking up a pen and putting thoughts onto paper even if they do not all make sense or correlate. My favorite teacher was my sophomore high school English teacher who taught us what it meant to be real writers. Ms. Chase had us read more books than I can remember. She cared so deeply about English, and her love of literature made her incredibly memorable. I write to make her proud because without her I do not believe I would be the same person or the same writer. I remember we wrote so much that year I thought my hand would fall off at times; instead I learned how to write a eloquent analysis and that sometimes a red coat is just a red coat. My favorite writing assignment was always the one where she made us choose an inanimate object and we had to write about a day in their life. It was one of the most creative writing assignments a teacher had ever asked me to write and to this day is still an assignment that I remember fondly. She constantly challenged to dig deeper beneath the surface because we might just stumble onto something absolutely brilliant. Pictures are worth a thousand words, but sometimes words do more justice. I write because I want to be remembered one day for my words.

When I was little I loved to read: Cereal boxes, books, posters, shirts, and anything else with words on it. I was amazed that someone could create a story just like that. A person just needed an idea and the will to write. My favorite book series was always A Series of Unfortunate Events because it was so dreadfully delightful. I was blown away by Lemony Snicket’s ability to create this story about three children who were always resilient no matter what life had in store for them; I had so many questions about why the unfortunate events happened to them. Even though I never received the answers I desired, Lemony Snicket was an inspiration to write, to create a world that was captivating and terrifying all with the power of words. My father was always a huge advocate for reading. He reads everything he can get his hands on. In turn, because he has read so much, he is a wonderful writer who knows just what to write to captivate an audience. When I was young, he would tell me, “Control what you can control.” I write because I have control over the story and what will happen; I write because I want to make the reader feel something whether that is happiness, sadness, or confusion. I hope that my writing is powerful enough to make an impact even if it is only small. If I can make a positive impact on one person’s life through the words I write then it will have been worth it.

Maya Angelou is one of my biggest inspirations; her writing is brilliant and impactful, full of life and full of emotion. “Still I Rise” is the most powerful piece of literature I have ever read. I always turn to this poem when life is rough or when I am lacking inspiration. I write because words have the power to change people and in turn people will change people, and hopefully it is for the better. I write because my voice matters. I write to change the world to what I wish to see in it. Writing is a powerful weapon and used correctly it can change lives.