And Then I Wrote ...

Recently I had the good fortune to speak to a group of New Hampshire writers at an Author School held at the Nackey Loeb School of Communications in Manchester.

The event, sponsored by the NH Writers' Project, reinforced in my mind how fortunate we are in this state to have so many gifted writers, willing to share their skills with all of us.

Who amongst us hasn't thought at one time or another that they'd like to write a book or that something that happened to them would really make a good story?

I was lucky enough to attend schools in Concord at a time (the late 50s and 1960s), when there was an emphasis on good writing skills. It went far beyond mere book reports or a short story. We were encouraged to push ourselves and see just how much we could accomplish.

Whether at , St. Peter's, or , I found teachers who urged me to put my thoughts on paper and to never settle for doing the minimum. Miss O'Mara, Mrs. Mollica, Sister Mary John, Catherine White, Lionel DeLacey, Harvey Smith and several other passionate teachers at Brady, all recognized my storytelling skills and looked for opportunities for me to put pen to paper.

I found I could escape my reality as a very overweight and asthmatic child by adapting my favorite books into screenplays and writing class plays as well as musical productions. When writing I found I was only limited by the limitations I placed upon myself.

In the 1990s I worked as a collaborative assistant on a book project in Los Angeles and found I enjoyed interviewing Nancy Reagan, Janet Leigh, Liza Minnelli, Katharine Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor for the book entitled, "Crowning Glory." Playing a small role in the creative process made me think about one day writing my own story.

It wasn't until I joined the NH Writers' Project in 2010 that I finally felt I'd found a niche, which enabled me to push myself harder than I had ever considered doing in the past. I really think that being part of a group can both challenge you and bring a sense of purpose to what can become more than a hobby.

My first book entitled, was released in 2011 and went to No. 1 on Amazon.com within weeks. I heard from thousands of readers as to the effect the book had upon them. Had I not joined the Writer's Project, the book might still be nothing more than hundreds of pages of random thoughts and words.

If anything, the book's success only made me want to try harder and to do better as I kept in mind what my teachers had told me - "Never be satisfied, because you can always do better." That philosophy permeates all aspects of my life and makes me want to try harder and to be better.

I don't pretend to be a great writer. I am a good storyteller but still have a lot to learn. As I told the group in Manchester recently, I seek out opportunities to further hone my skill.

Recently I've written stories for several national publications and I relish the opportunity to write for the Concord Patch.

Having spent more than a half century in Concord, I like sharing stories of my community, its people, its rich history, and how it taught me so much about life and survival.

I truly believe that everyone has a story to tell. Each of our lives is filled with events that challenge us as we cope with a wealth of experiences and lessons learned. I urge everyone I meet to sit down and write, even if they never consider publishing their story. From that writing they will learn so much about themselves and will come to have a deeper respect for who they are.

The New Hampshire Writers' Project is an organization that welcomes everyone. You don't have to be a published writer or even have plans to be published. Just enjoy writing or be curious as to what makes a writer.

Read about them on their website: nhwritersproject.org or give them a call at 603-314-7980.

Whether you want to explore writing that long dormant idea you've had or thought about or simply want to write a personal family history to leave as a legacy for generations to come, don't let the writer in you go unwritten.