Essay
My Origins of Writing
On Medium and elsewhere
At eleven years of age I passed the exams for a super selective school (15/500 girls) and attended my interview. At eleven they wanted to know what I wanted to be when I grew up. Out of the blue I said actress and performer. I’d never given it a thought before that. But out it came. I say this for a reason. Please bear with me.
After the interview my parents asked me what I said and when I told them I was chastised severely for being ridiculous, and why didn’t I say something sensible like teacher. I didn’t want to be a teacher. I didn’t like school or most of the people in them. Why would I want to make that into a career, but I said nothing, accepted their words and buried them deep inside.
My father’s job took me away from that school a year later anyway.
When I was about fifteen and our teachers were asking us what we wanted to be when we grew up, and again out of nowhere I said I would be a writer. I was laughed at by the teacher and most of my class mates.
Again I forgot about my words, buried them deeply and continued to attend school. Mostly with boredom and rather miserably. A year later on I became very good at bunking off school. I didn’t go to university, though I did start at teacher training college and lasted one…
