When I was eight years old, I published my first book, well, 20 pages of "published" material assembled using a confidence-boosting book-making kit called IlluStory.
An aspiring author, indeed, I continued my pursuit for the big leagues, trying my hand at fiction a few years later with some lengthy, The-Baby-Sitters-Club-meets-Goosebumps narrative detailing a day in the life of a popular tween girl... A Pulitzer Prize winner, no doubt.
But as I got older, my writing enthusiasm took a backseat to other endeavors, and aside from a few personal stories and writing-related job duties along the way, I had more or less lost interest. In fact, it wasn't until about eight months after my son was born that I actually chose "writer" as my official occupation.
Call me self-centered, but I enjoy the freedom to share my own accounts on the subjects of my choice (obviously). What better way to learn how to laugh at yourself (and at others), improve where you can and (hopefully) help someone out in the process?
We all need some sort of channel for self-expression, self-progression and self-reflection. And as a parent, I'd say that having kids only accentuates this need... Lucky for me, this column has allowed such a channel—to vent, to ask, to learn and to grow. And as for the topic of motherhood—well, the contents are endless.
Which is why I would love nothing more than to humbly invite you, moms, dads, to join in on all the venting, asking, learning and growing.
Have a mommy story to share? A comment you've been holding back? Questions to ask? A topic you want to read about? Go ahead, hit me with your best shot. I need all the writing practice I can get before someone comes out with the adult version of IlluStory.
Fire away!
