My Interest in Writing, Part 1

August 11, 2005

My interest in writing—

My interest in writing started in elementary school. In third grade (I believe) we had to write a book. Here is what I wrote:

“The Hurt Koala Bear”

There was Koala Bear, her name was Koalie Bear. She liked to climb trees, eat, and sleep.

One day while Koalie was sleeping, she fell out of a tree. It was a long fall and when she fell, Koalie hurt herself. She woke up the next morning and found herself on the ground.

She tired to get up, but she couldn’t get up. Koalie tried and tried, but she just couldn’t get up in a tree. So Koalie just layed there.

At about 1:30 some children walked by. One of the children spotted Koalie and said, “Look everyone there is a Koala Bear.”

“Don’t touch that Koala,” said a boy.

“Why not?” asked Jenny, the girl.

“It might bit you,” said a girl.

“I don’t care,” said Jenny.

So Jenny touched the Koala Bear. It did not bit or even move. Jenny picked up the Koala and she went home.

Her mother said, “You can’t keep that Koala.”

“Why not,” said Jenny. “She’s hurt.”

The Koala in a week was getting better. Jenny goes out every day and gets leaves for Koalie.
When she gave them to Koalie she ate them all up. When she was done eating, she would go to sleep.

Koalie plays in the trees in the morning and she doesn’t run away. At night Koalie comes in at night to sleep.

One day Jenny took Koalie to school. Everyone screamed they were afraid of the Koala Bear. The teacher told Jenny, “Take that Koala back where it belongs.”

Jenny told the teacher, “It is tame. I found it on the ground and it was hurt. I took it home and the Koala got better.”

“Well, I guss the Koala can stay, but keep it quiet.”

Jenny and Koalie became good pals. Koalie would ride on Jenny’s back. Koalie goes almost everywhere with Jenny. Koalie and Jenny live happily ever after.

(I typed this out the same way it looks in my “little book.”)


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Though that was fun, my interest was really kindled when I was in 6th grade. We each had to write our own little books. We had to write several re-writes to improve the first draft we had written. During this process, we had an author (or author-in-waiting, don’t quite remember) come to the class and tell us about writing. She told how many drafts that she had completed and how much work it was. After the final draft, we were all given a hard cover book to write our stories in and to illustrate. The books were then laminated. Then we placed our books in the school library for the younger children, and us, to “check out” and read while they were in the library. We actually placed check-out cards in the back. Also in the back was a blank page for the readers to write comments on if they wanted to. After the books spent some time in the library the 6th grade class had “Author’s Night” in the school’s lunch room. We placed our books around and our parents came and read them. We were allowed to put our books on tape; I started to, but never finished.

Curious? Well, here is my 6th grade book:

“The Kidnapped Princess”

Once upon a time there was a pretty princess named Lisa. She was very happy in her father’s kingdom.

There were white doves soaring high in the bright, blue sky. Rabbits running around, deer grazing, cats purring, dogs barking happily, and other animals running around.

Lisa lived in a castle with her father, mother, two brothers, and two sisters. The castle was neat. It had big lights hanging from the ceiling. In the bedrooms there were big canopy beds, dresserdrawers, toys, stuffed animals, and other nice things.

Lisa’s two brothers’ names are Jon and Phill. Her sister’s names are Jamie and Sarah.

Lisa was 12 years old. Jon was 9, Jamie was 7, hill was 5, and Sarah was 3 years old. Lisa, Jon, and Jamie go to a school for rich people only.

In the castle was a swimming pool, the shape of a large crown. The bottom of the pool was painted a goldish color. There was a swimming pool outside but bigger. There was a park by the pool. It had swings, a sandbox, monkey bars, a big toy, and other things to play on.

When the first day of school came, the children went to school. Jamie’s teacher was Mrs. Wiskow. Jon’s teacher was Mr. Smith. Lisa’s teacher was Miss Patzner. When they came home their parents asked them, “How was school?”

All the children said, “Fine.”

Lisa played the organ and the flute, ate a snack, did her homework, and ate supper. After she ate her supper, she called some friends, had a bedtime snack, and went to bed.

In the morning the birds were chirping happily. Everyone was up, but Sarah (the three-year-old). She was fast asleep. Lisa, her brother, and sister were all dressed and eating.

Their mom walked in. She said, “Oh, there you are. I was looking all over for you. Well, I’m glad you’re up.”

Jon said happily, “I don’t want to be late for school.”

Months had passed. The day of Lisa’s birthday came. The whole month of May they were busy planning the big party. Lisa had invited all her friends and they were all coming. The children went to school. After school a big bus came to pick up Lisa, her friends, and their things.

When they got to the castle, they went to Lisa’s room. Lisa showed them where to put things. After that they went into the galley (kitchen) and ate a snack.

When they were done eating, they decided to play basketball on the inside court. Lisa’s team lost, but they had amusement (fun). Then they put on their swimming suits and went for a swim in the outside swimming pool. They swam for a long time. After awhile they got out, dried off, and played in the park.

It was time for supper. When they were done, Lisa opened her presents. She got a sweater as red as lava, a necklace, paints as black as a moonless night, and a backpack as yellow as the sun. Lisa liked them all and opened some more. Then she got some make-up, a shirt, skirt, a mirror, and a beautiful party dress as blue as a clear, bright afternoon sky.

From Lisa’s mother and father, she got a dog food and water dish. She also got a dog bone, dog treats, and a puppy as white as the snow.

After she opened her presents everyone had a big piece of birthday cake and went to bed.

The next day came and the birds were chirping happily. All the girls got up, dressed, got their stuff, ate breakfast, and got on the bus. They got to school ten minute early.

A month later while Lisa was walking to a friend’s house, she was kidnapped. On hour after she was to be at JoAnn’s house, JoAnn called.

JoAnn asked on the phone, “Hi, is Lisa home?”

Lisa’s mother stated, worried, “Isn’t she at your house.”

“No, she never came to my house. I thought she forgot,” JoAnn replied.

“Can you and your mother come right over?” Lisa’s mother signed.

“We’ll be right over,” JoAnn said, quickly.

In 30 minutes JoAnn and her mother were in Lisa’s parents’ castle.

They went in the living room and sat down. They talked for three hours, during that time they had the police, neighbors, and the fire department out looking for Lisa. Her dad had a $2,000.00 reward for her safe return. A day past and nothing had came up.

The kidnappers took Lisa in a clipper (sailboat) to a deserted island. On the island there were mean, vicious animals, trees, volcanoes, and other things.

Three years had past and Lisa’s parents had given up but they still had the $2,000.00 reward out. Mr. and Mrs. King had four more children, two boys and two girls.

One day the King got an idea. He called for someone who was brave and has a boat. Someone named Sir Ben came. The King gave him the mission and Sir Ben decided to do it.

Sir Ben sailed to the island in his clipper. The time he got there, a volcano had gone off and Lisa, who was 16, was standing on the edge screaming. Ben got her in his clipper and went back to the mainland. He got the $2,000.00 reward plus $2,000,00 more and Lisa married him.

The kidnappers died when the volcano erupted.

Sir Ben and Princess Lisa lived happily ever after.

(I tried to type this as it appears in my little book.)

I hope you have enjoyed my little treasured stories from the past.

What happened to my writing after elementary school? You’ll have to tune in again for part 2.