Something to be Proud of

Don't you think a compliment goes a long way? I would venture to even say that a compliment from a stranger is especially humbling. Here's the story...I may have already mentioned this, but I'm taking a creative writing course this semester to hone into my creative side. The first week of class I immediately felt like I was in over my head. Reading other student's writing made me self conscious about my own. The first assignment was to write a fictional story (short story or beginning of a fictional novel). I have never written anything remotely close to short story or novel. I've always just stuck to strictly academic writing. So needless to say, I was extremely weary. I kept going back and forth about what I should write about; I wanted to make a good first impression because everyone in the class would be reading and critiquing it. I finally decided to write about a widowed woman, whose husband dies in Iraq, leaving her with 3 children. Wanna know what they thought? Critics say...

"Imagery throughout was epic"
"Great job evoking an emotional response from the reader"
"Very touching"
"Sometimes when people write something so realistic, it comes off as fake or contrived, but this didn't"
"You are very good at making the emotion jump off the page"
"It was like reading a movie"

RAVE REVIEWS!!! Of course, I am by no means ready to be a published author yet. But having the whole class enjoy my work really meant so much to me and boosted my writing confidence to another level. Hopefully this means I'm on the right track to tapping into the creative potential my mind possesses. Score!

An excerpt from my very first piece:

She placed her hand on the flag, her fingertips slowly outlining the blue, star studded triangle. Her body ached for her husband, her soul mate, her fallen soldier. Not just for her sake, but for her kids. She desperately wanted her children to know what a great man their Daddy was, and how much he loved each of them. She thought the pain would lessen as time passed, but she still felt the same strong emotions she did the day the Corps knocked on her door almost a year and a half ago.