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Journey to Writing

"Writing has always been a natural part of me. Growing up, I set up elaborate games with my dolls, and when I finally got around to playing, the games were more like stories. They had a plot, a protagonist, an opposing force (usually parents or a weather catastrophe), and supporting characters. Outside, I had a tree I loved, and would climb up into it and pretend I was an explorer or was riding a horse.

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"I wrote my first book at the age of seven. It was only a few pages long, but it had a plot and everything. I still have it somewhere, tucked away where no one can find it except for me. Those first attempts are the most cherished when we look them over, but it's a whole other ball game to share them with others. 

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"Between that day and eighth grade, I spontaneously wrote short stories. Most were incomplete, and the ones that I finished were horrible fan fiction. I think my writing would have taken off sooner if I had learned to love to read. I thought reading was a bore, because, after all, why learn to read when you have others to read for you, and the best stories are the ones in your head?

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"It took a short mystery book to catch my attention. That book opened up a whole new world, and by the time I reached eighth grade, I was sold. I couldn't push away the urge to write any longer. My first novel was a 33K word Viking book that I'm currently editing. But it wasn't until I had started my second book in ninth grade that I realized, yes, I want to be an author."

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~ H. E. Willis                            

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