Tuesday 4 December 2007

When I was at school...

I wanted to be a writer of some kind, but the teachers at my school said no that's not a career, you need to do something practical to earn money. So, partly because my parents had paid a small fortune for my education and partly because then I was a superficially compliant girl, I followed their advice and chose something else that made them, but necessarily me, happy. Of course as soon as I left school I did something completely different just to be annoying, finally falling into my career by chance in my twenties. Don't get me wrong on a good day I still kind of, sort of, like my job, but today, some 20 years after I left school, I printed out the 130 pages of my NaNoWriMo novel and I want to look all those teachers in the eye and tell them "You were wrong. I am a writer."

3 comments:

belle said...

I still don't really know what I want to do when I'm grown up ... to try and help, we had to do a careers quiz when I was at school. It suggested my most suitable job would be World Dictator ... worrying that ;o)

riverwillow said...

But if it means big pants for everyone maybe not such a bad idea :o)

brunhilde said...

Never abandon your dreams - it's never too late. I look forward to standing next to someone in a bookshop, nudging them and saying 'I know her' when your latest bestseller is on display.