I am a writer— someone who actually makes a living by the written word.
Nowadays, that has expanded into the classroom where I teach others to do the same.
I wear many hats, but at the end of the day, I am a writer first and foremost.
Writing is where it starts for me. And it is where it ends.
Writing is hard work.
It’s thankless sometimes. And, other times, it just works— until it doesn’t.
Ernest Hemingway once said, “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”
Whatever it is— in the end, being a writer by trade is a privilege and one I don’t take for granted.
This would not be the case if not for a lot of help along the way.
In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week this week, it behooves me to recognize just a few of the many people who have helped me along the way.
Without their help, I’m not sure where I’d be.
I’d like to thank Laurie Davenport for teaching me that I can write.
Mrs. Davenport was my fourth-grade teacher at Whitesboro Elementary. It was in her class that I realized I could be good at writing.
I was not good at math (still not). Science was just so-so.
But history and writing excited me. Near the end of my fourth-grade year, I did well on my writing exam.
I remember distinctly— the light bulb moment.
“I can actually do this,” I thought to myself. “Such moments are liberating.”
I’d like to thank Catherine Cunningham for teaching me how to write.
She was my 6th and 8th grade English teacher at Whitesboro Middle School. It was with her I learned systemic formulas for better writing. She taught us how, through outline and plan and scheme, our writing could be better.
I’d like to thank Becky Latham for teaching me to be passionate about multiple forms of writing.
Mrs. Latham was my English teacher— three out of four years— at Collinsville High School. With her, we learned that better reading leads to better writing.
Whether it be “Julius Caesar” or “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “The Grapes of Wrath” or “The Scarlet Letter” — she taught us that consuming language leads to better producing our language.
She taught us that — stylistically— there is a fine line between fiction and non-fiction and one really does compliment the other because, at the end of the day, the goal is compelling storytelling.
I’d like to thank Allin Means for teaching me how to make a living as a writer.
Dr. Means was my undergraduate journalism adviser and professor. He gave me a place at the college newspaper and trusted me to forge a role for myself.
Many of our everyday tasks here at the News-Record are procedures I learned from Dr. Means at Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
I’d like to thank Jacquita Lewter for teaching me to be a better writer.
She was more than my grandmother. She was my co-worker and my friend.
And she was the best feature writer I have ever known. She could have written for any publication, and we were blessed to have her for the time that we did here in Whitesboro.
I’d like to thank Tommy Thomason for teaching me how to help others be better writers.
Tommy founded the Texas Center for Community Journalism in 2007. He took me under his wing, encouraged me to attend grad school and was instrumental in my transition to the college classroom.
It is an honor to now lead the Center that he founded.
And I’d like to thank John Allen Hendricks for teaching me how to teach others to be writers.
Dr. Hendricks was my grad school adviser. He never gave up on me— though he had plenty of valid reasons to do just that over the years.
I would not have finished the MA program without his patience and persistence.
I keep that in mind with my students. I am the last one to throw in the towel with anyone.
I will always give you the benefit of the doubt. I try to remember that sometimes life happens, and I won’t hold that against anyone who is willing to put in the work and get back on track.
Dr. Hendricks practiced the same patience with me. I carry forth with that same patience.
So, who are those teachers that molded you?
This week reminds us to stop and say thank you.
I encourage you to do just that. Let them know how much they mean to you.
It truly does take a village and, without the people I’ve mentioned here, I don’t know where I’d be today.
Austin Lewter is the owner and publisher of the Whitesboro News-Record and director of the Texas Center for Community Journalism. He can be reached at [email protected].