Wednesday 28 August 2013

Influences

Who influences do you remember or credit for your work?

I am heading to a school reunion, it’s been 20 years, I am feeling so old. I have kept in contact with a few people, mainly on Facebook. Though there are people I haven’t seen in 20 years. There are people who I won’t see, who can’t make it. Those that have moved away. I myself live on the other side of the country, but am making a special trip to go.

I have heard that one of my English teachers will be taking the keynote address. It wasn’t until I got older I realised how much she actually taught me. I was never much of an English student, did much more in the maths/science areas in school. Yet, she was a good teacher.

I have thought about one day dedicating a book to her, but right now I haven’t got a book ready I also want to dedicate the next one to my parents (that is a whole other story). So here I am a week away from the reunion and I have a few books with me. I have thought about giving a book to her. I never really expected to do that. I am nervous as there are so many mistakes in it, but I guess I will have to just explain that.

Is there someone significant that influenced your writing? I don’t know if she really did, or if she was just someone I remember being a great English teacher.





So it’s now after the reunion and I gave her a copy of my book and she seemed really impressed. I guess she never really had thought of me being a writer. I never had when I was a school.

After lunch we had some time to spare before the dinner that was planned. I was walking back to the building when I saw Mrs Carlsen. She had said already that she ‘had started my book and she liked it.’ That was a huge boost to my ego, my old English teacher saying what she had read was good.

I also found out a friend of mine had bought the book on Amazon. I hadn’t spoken to her in a long while, but it was good to find out. Then another person asked for a copy and I had a copy left over.

These might not have been people I have seen for a while, but I am glad I caught up. It’s really amazing to see them. Most of them have not changed, except the boys will give me hugs now.


I don’t think these fellow students influenced me. But I know that my old teacher did. I had a wonderful reunion and got to get a couple more copies of my book out there.





5 comments:

  1. Hi Melanie - Good on you for taking the initiative in giving that book to her. I'm sure she appreciated it. Teachers don't always get feedback from former students and I'm sure she was thrilled to see that you had become a writer. May God bless you as you continue to write for Him

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  2. A brave move, Melanie--well done! Re people who have influenced me, I would have to say my lovely mentor Joy, who features in my non-fiction book 'Soul Friend'. She isn't a teacher, but is a wonderful, godly, creative, understanding person who believed in me and still encourages me, even though she's now almost eighty-four!

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  3. Hi Melanie,
    I am glad about your post because it shows that there is so much potential in EVERYONE. Potential that often goes unnoticed or is developed only later in life. Praise the Lord that He is using yours! And it was very lovely of you to honour your teacher as you did. Thank you for reminding us to remember and honour the influences in our lives.

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  4. Well done Melanie. How encouraging for you that you got the thumbs up from your old teacher. I can well imagine how good that would have felt. My Mum is my role model as a writer/journalist for 71 years so far .... so she has been one of my main inspirations. And of course many others have blessed me on the way. So glad your gifts are being realised more and more. May He continue to open fresh doors for you. Keep writing! As Margaret said, thanks for the reminder to honour those who have blessed and influenced us on our writing journey.

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  5. I really enjoyed your post, Melanie. I wish I could have given my old English teacher one of my books. That must have given her genuine pleasure to know one of her students had done something with the knowledge she passed on.
    As for mistakes in your first book...who hasn't looked back and wished they could do it again? Just keep up your writing and as in everything else you improve.
    My darling husband was the one who pushed me into writing and thank him for that. The first book is the hardest as you wonder whether you're really a writer. It's great when folk read and tell you they enjoyed it isn't it?

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