Ralph Previously Did Not Like to do Creative Writing
Ralph, a junior in high school, didn't like to do creative writing. His passion was wrestling. His teachers had failed to ignite his interest in the written word. Besides wrestling, the one thing constantly on his mind was buying his first car.
He had saving of $750 he could use. His very supportive parents told him they could chip in a little, but not a lot, for the purchase of a used car. Ralph did some research and came to the conclusion that he would need to spend $10,000 to buy a used car that did not break down. His best friend had bought a used car for $2,500, but the car broke down so often, his friend barely used it. His friend confided in him, "I made a mistake to buy a car at such a low price. This car not only breaks down often, it's probably also unsafe to drive it."
Every week, Ralph wondered to himself, "Where can I get the money to buy a used car?" His father, a school teacher, came home one day and engaged his son to play some basketball in their driveway. While throwing the basketball, dad mentioned to Ralph, "There's a short story writing contest for teens. The prize is $2,500. I think you should maybe enter the contest." Ralph looked at this dad and asked, "Are you serious? You know I don't like to write." His dad went on to say, "For this writing contest, there will be 75 winners chosen from across the country. So, your chances of being a winner in this contest are fairly good. I know you don't like to write, but $2,500 would be a nice chunk of money you could use to buy your first car."
Ralph paused and then said, "Dad, I've changed my mind about writing. I think I could give it a shot to write a short story for this contest. What are the other rules for the contest?" Dad said, "The story needs to be on a theme that is relevant to teenagers. The contest sponsor wants to use the stories as 'relevant curriculum' at schools throughout the country. Without hesitating, Ralph replied, "I can do that. I'm heading to my bedroom to write a story now."
Less than hour later, Ralph emerged from his bedroom and proudly handed his new story to his dad. "What do you think of this?" he asked. His dad read over the story and replied, "This is a good story, but do you think it's a story that would be a winning story in a writing contest? I suggest you write two more stories, and then choose the best one to submit to the contest." That sounded like a sensible approach. Ralph could not think of another story that evening, but he would try later in the week to come up with two new short stories. During the week, he would listen carefully to his friends' conversations in the school cafeteria. Their conversations might contain the seeds of a story he could write.
During the week that followed, Ralph found himself observing his surroundings with a new perspective. Every conversation, every interaction seemed to hold the potential for a story. As he sat in the school cafeteria, he listened intently to his friends' banter, searching for inspiration. Suddenly, an idea struck him. It was a story about friendship, betrayal, and redemption, themes he knew resonated deeply with teenagers like himself.
Racing home, Ralph fervently began typing away on his computer, fleshing out the characters and plot that had formed in his mind. Hours flew by unnoticed as he poured his energy into his writing. By the time he finished, he was filled with a sense of accomplishment he had never experienced before.
Presenting his second story to his dad, Ralph awaited his father's feedback with bated breath. As his dad read through the pages, a smile spread across his face. "This is even better than the first one," he exclaimed. Encouraged by his father's words, Ralph felt a surge of confidence coursing through him. Perhaps writing wasn't so bad after all.
With two stories under his belt, Ralph set out to write his third and final possible entry for the contest. Drawing from his own experiences and those of his peers, he crafted a tale that delved into the complexities of teenage life, exploring themes of identity, self-discovery, and the pursuit of dreams.
As he put the finishing touches on his third story, Ralph couldn't help but feel a sense of pride welling up inside him. Not only had he discovered a newfound passion for writing, but he had also taken a significant step towards achieving his goal of buying a car. With $2,500 on the line, he knew he had a fighting chance of winning the contest.
Submitting the best of his three stories to the contest, Ralph eagerly awaited the results. Whether or not he emerged victorious, one thing was certain - he had discovered a love for writing that he never knew existed.
(This story is donated to the public domain and may be freely distributed in electronic or print form.)
"Wisdom begins with wonder." - Socrates
"Learning happens thru gentleness."
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