My Development in Writing

Like a caterpillar, I've grown to appreciate writing through a struggle that is worth it in the end. My development of writing first established when I started reading novels, to my encouraging English teachers, and my interest in poetry.
I started building my cocoon in seventh grade, when I read my first novel. It was none other than Stephanie Meyer's"Twilight" saga. I would then venture into other similar novels, and recognize my favorite genres. I wrapped myself in the pages of books. Books such as Scott Westerfield's "Uglies" series, a fictional dystopia, I would read and reread. When rereading my favorite novels I would start to post-it note important plot changes, character descriptions, foreshadows, and details I had overlooked the first time. I started a strategy to understand the inner workings of a novel writer. Once I have dissected each novel with its innards spilling out unto post-its, I research it's author. I would learn how the author built their foundation of a cocoon to write such novels. The resources and inspirations they used to thread all of their works into a masterpiece.
The struggle started when my high school English teachers helped me break from my comfortable cocoon. I went from analyzing to putting pen to paper. I strongly disliked grammatical guidelines and spelling structures that I struggled through. Writing was not in any way my expertise in the beginning. My teachers would challenge me with a task they knew I could conquer with the right tools and the right motivation. There would be encouragement by working towards the exemplar primed and manicured product in the end. My finished work was never perfect, but when I worked hard, I could see my writing improving and developing.
I could finally fully spread my wings when I discovered poetry. I found color, pattern, and design within the most extravagant poems. It wasn't essay writing or novel writing, but it was the kind of writing I could fully appreciate and apply to other types of writing. Poetry became the backbone of writing for myself. I learned to enjoy essays and papers more by adding colorful descriptions and fun phrases. Writing used to be a struggle, but now I have an organized method to writing through poetry. I would use visual aids by drawing connections and similarities to topics, and making it fun by finding unique ways to connect ideas. It has allowed me to put a creative touch to the most boring of assignments.