Sheri K Hoff, click
here to update your pages on AuthorsDen.
Blogs by Sheri K Hoff
Thank You-For Pushing Me 1/28/2009 10:59:06 AM
As I have been preparing for an upcoming virtual book tour (March), I have been reflecting on my writing process and inspiration. My mother was always enrolling me in creative writing classes even as a young child. So I think I always thought of myself as a writer. So I enrolled in Mr. Peterson's Creative Writing class when I was in 10th grade and I felt very confident about it. My mother was even one of his students when she was in high school and he was her favorite teacher. I was excited. I was one of those-mostly "A" students and knew that this would be my fun class-compared to Trig.
On the first day, we were told the we would spend the first fifteen to twenty minutes of every class free flow writing in our journals. We would also hand in our journals. I thought, I can handle that. Then Mr. Peterson announced that he didn't grade work-he either wrote VG for very good, G for good, and nothing if it was less than good. My whole "working for my grade" became a confusing process for me.
We had different types of creative writing assignments. Soon, I had the frustrating experience of pouring my heart into my work and receiving only a "G". I kept working harder, but felt dissappointed inside. I thought, maybe I am not a writer. I remember the most difficult assignment for me was to write a sonnet. I love poetry-but write in free verse. Now, I had to follow the rules of the sonnet. I was afraid that I could not do it. I created my one and only sonnet of my life and it is called Mountain Paradise. And I received my first "VG". I glowed with pride. Mr. Peterson was helping all of us learn discipline.
I went on to work with Mr. Peterson on the school paper. In one of my articles, I had some facts that were incorrect. When I walked in the door at school, he almost tackled me and said that some of my facts were wrong. I then, said, "Well, I assumed". Then his face turned beat red and he hollered-"You assumed? You assumed? a journalist never assumes anything." I learned my lesson about checking facts.
He was a demanding, brilliant teacher and he loved writing. I am a better person because I experienced working with him. I even suspected, afer awhile, that he did believe in me. By the way, I did earn an "A" in that class.
To all the Mr. Peterson's out there-Thank you for caring so much.
