My Autobiography as a Writer

By Pamela den Ouden

My grandmother, who was born in the late 1870s near Ottawa, Ontario, never learned to read or write. Her passport, issued in 1949, was signed by her with an X because, even at the age of 60 or so, she couldn’t even sign her name. It is hard for me to imagine my life without writing because it has played a large part in my life, academically, professionally, and personally.

As a student and life-long learner, I have used writing to fulfill many assignments. One of my fondest memories from high school is a series of writing assignments from my grade ten English teacher. The situation: we were stranded on a deserted island. The assignments: create a map of our island, write a letter to our family, detail instructions for making a shelter, and write a recipe for making some island dish, among others. These assignments were so interesting and engaging that even after all these years, I can still picture the outline map of my island, drawn in pencil in a lined, green Hilroy notebook.

All graduate students know the agony and the ecstacy of writing a thesis or dissertation. There’s the excitement of the research, of adding to the body of knowledge on a particular and usually narrow subject. Then there’s the agony of the writing, the rewriting, the revising, the scrapping of whole chapters, and the almost starting all over. Finally there it is—the finished product, with the stamp of approval from the powers-that-be.

Even now, I’m still writing as a student, having enrolled in a second Master’s program. Taking notes on the computer as I listen to an online lecture and writing essays and exams are once again part of my study routine. At the end of my course work, yes, there will be another thesis.

My professional writing life was a five-year apprenticeship by fire. I was a writer and then editor of a small weekly newspaper. The staff was small, the workload was large, and the days were long. There was pressure to produce interviews, photos, features, news, questions-on-the-street, and editorials. There was always something to write, revise, and polish.

The writing that’s brought me the greatest satisfaction, however, has been my personal writing, which includes writing to others, poetry, and stories. Over the years, I have written hundreds of letters to family and friends. When I travel, I send postcards and e-mail. When I’m home, I send letters and e-mail, birthday cards, and notes of encouragement. In addition, I express myself in poetry, usually building on a single image or incident or remark. The newest kind of writing that I’ve tackled is the short story. It’s a difficult form, but with practice, I’ll improve.

Writing is a precious ability that we should not take for granted. Our thoughts, actions, and decisions can be recorded for our descendants. If, after I’m gone, my grandchildren want to know about my life, all they will have to do is look through my letters, scrapbooks, diaries, and articles. The written record will reveal my life, my art, and my heart.