And now, kind folk, some Inspiration...

I had once belonged to a small private business college located in the heart of midtown Manhattan, called The Laboratory Institute of Merchandising (LIM. Under the school's logo in small print read, The College for the Business of Fashion). I am not sure why I chose to major in Visual Merchandising (which is basically the interior / exterior decor of stores) at some relatively unknown "Fashion School", but something did draw me into it (I'm still not quite sure what exactly this said "something" might've been...). All of the classes I was required to take bore me, my brain thirsted for an education that would stimulate my mind. Save for the one Creative Writing course I decided to enroll in during the spring semester of my Sophomore year.

For the hour and half this course kept me, twice a week, my adoration for writing grew. I knew that the only option I had at the time, in order to be happy was to transfer schools. My professor for this course was a freelance writer and taught at LIM on the side. My frustration with the school had become overwhelming. I spoke with my Creative Writing professor about this, and he told me that it was in my best interest to persue my desire (exactly what I needed to hear). I asked him if there were any great books he might be able to recommend to me. He gave me a list, and Lorrie Moore's "Self-Help" was one of the many he suggested. I read the book.

This piece of work came into my life at the perfect time. After reading "How to Become a Writer", I smiled. Any doubts I had within myself of not being able to succeed were washed away after this read. This piece made me sure of my decision to embarq with Writing as a new major. That summer, I finished up with LIM and graduated with an Associate's Degree in Applied Science (Fashion Merchandising). I transferred to Willy P in the fall and changed my major to English with a concentration in writing. This short story, written by one of my favorite authors Lorrie Moore, will perhaps serve as an inspiration to you as well. You can read the short story "How to Become a Writer" here.

If for some reason that link doesn't work, here is the url: http://www.ninetymeetingsinninetydays.com/lorriemooore.html


"Writers have no real area of expertise. They are merely generalists with a highly inflamed sense of punctuation." — Lorrie Moore