Lilia Hernandez-Elmhurst - Writing Portfolio

This semester had its challenging moments. However, it was also filled with small milestones that made the journey very enjoyable. At the start of my project, I felt very excited to be diving into genres of writing that I hadn’t quite explored. I knew that I was setting myself up for a difficult semester, but I hoped that by the end of it I would be a much more confident and knowledgeable writer.

Previously, I considered myself to be a person who didn’t adjust well to change or being pushed out of my comfort zone. This is, of course, something that I still struggle with. However, this project helped me greatly with making progress. Each piece required me to approach it with patience. I had little to no experience with the styles I wrote in so I had to acknowledge that I was a novice and that there were going to be new problems that I was unfamiliar with. I had never written an op-ed essay in MLA format, nor a letter of complaint or a short story. I had also never translated a long text from English to Spanish or shared a personal opinion piece with others.

Many new skills were developed and sharpened along the way, though I would say I grew most in my researching abilities. I had to do in-depth research on each topic and on top of that, I had to learn the mechanics of each style, which was very time-consuming. There were moments when I wanted to brush aside searching up the mundane things and dive into my writing, but I knew that wouldn’t get me anywhere.

I quickly learned that another critical part of my project was outlining each piece before I began to write. That entails determining the theme, the point I want to make, as well as knowing the overall message before starting the writing portion. There are moments in fiction writing when going off script and seeing where the wind blows you can be very useful. However, I found that it doesn’t quite work the same way when it comes to non-fiction writing - not for me, at least. For example, I wrote the essay and the letter of complaint using an outline. I found it very helpful whenever I felt unstuck or unsure of how to articulate a certain point. When it came time to write my short story, however, I had only a vague idea of the theme and where I wanted the story to go. The rest just sort of came to me as time went on. Using that strategy for fiction gives my writing a much better flow.

Before a Propel student can start their project, they have to determine what reigns supreme. Mine was to do a deep dive on various topics and expand my writing abilities, which I’m happy to say I was able to do. I took Masterclasses and learned how other successful writers perfected their style. By doing so I gained so much inspiration and understanding of what my style is, whether it’s fiction or non-fiction.

I also had to consider if quality is more important than quantity or if quantity is more important than quality. For me, the answer was simple. I wanted quality writing above all else. I wanted to write to the best of my ability and receive feedback from a variety of people, even if that meant spending a little more time on a piece than I normally would. I afforded myself patience as I wrote, and reminded myself that adding unnecessary pressure isn’t going to help me reach my goals any quicker. Often, people (including myself) forget that every skill is built from the ground up. People can be born with talent, but it requires hours of practice and dedication to your craft to become remotely remarkable. Though my writing is still in its early stages, I feel that this project brought me one step closer to my dreams of hopefully, one day being a remarkable writer myself.

At the start of the semester, I believed I would be able to complete approximately ten written pieces. However, upon starting the first piece, I realized that that would not be possible. Before this year, I focused the majority of my time on fiction writing. During my last semester at Propel, I wrote half of a historical fiction novel, so I was accustomed to doing a lot of research. But I underestimated how much time and research goes into smaller works of non-fiction such as essays and opinion pieces. I spent approximately three weeks working on my first piece alone, which was a week longer than I had anticipated. All of which forced me to re-evaluate how many pieces I would be able to produce within a five-month time frame. It was a lot to take into consideration, especially because I did not want to overwhelm myself like I did last year.

Starting my first piece felt very daunting. I entered a contest that required an op-ed essay about Universal Basic Income and what it would mean for me. The only problem was that before the announcement of the contest, I had no clue what Basic Income was. I soon learned that Basic Income is a proposed social policy that would provide each individual with sufficient income for basic needs, healthcare, and social participation, regardless of employment status. Learning its definition was only the tip of the iceberg. I was overwhelmed and felt very unsure of where to begin. Due to the complexity of the policy, I found the researching process difficult. Knowing that I would eventually have to put it into MLA format only added to my concerns.

I had to remind myself to breathe and not get sucked-in to the vortex of self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy. I experienced a lot of imposter syndrome. I thought to myself: Who am I to write about social policies? After all, I’m no political expert. I worried that I would not be able to write a solid factual essay on this topic and that the judges would laugh at my feeble attempt. Though, I was reminded that I should not compare myself to acclaimed political journalists and essayists. What truly mattered was getting information from credible sources, gathering said information, and writing to the best of my abilities.

With all said and done, I am very proud of the final product. Especially, because it was the only essay I had written outside of my grade nine and ten English exams. From then on, my goal was to maintain the confidence and drive I felt with the completion of my first piece. Through the many challenges that arose with my other four pieces, I tried my best to stay positive. I routinely reminded myself of that first essay and how it was worth all the hard work and moments where my patience was tested.

Over the course of this semester I became a much better writer. With the help of my mentors, I produced five pieces that I'm very proud of. Though, my biggest accomplishment is the confidence I've gained in myself. I'm still very much a newbie in this whole writing business, but I no longer feel insecure about it. I used to get very overwhelmed by everything that I still had to learn about writing. I stayed up at night worried that my writing would become stagnant and no one would take ever take me seriously. But, I have learned that if I genuinely want to become a better writer, I have to silence the cynic in my head. If one cannot push past the fear of rejection or of criticism, one will never grow. If I allowed my initial lack of confidence to overtake me, I would have never been able to move forward with my writing. And I certainly would not be where I am today.

This semester has been unlike any other, to say the least. I was able to keep up with work a little easier than my previous semester at Propel, though that isn’t to say it didn’t come with its own new set of challenges. Working from home was an eye-opening and difficult experience. At times, it felt strange doing school work during a global pandemic, but it was also the one positive thing that remained of my everyday routine and I’m thankful for that. I was once again able to spend a semester working on something that I’m passionate about. Focusing on my pieces and ensuring the quality of my writing was oftentimes a much-needed distraction from the tragedies that have been accumulating by the second.

What made this semester so fantastic was the incredible support system that I had around me. I had Mr. Hansen and Mr. Patrician who went out of their way to help me and my classmates in whatever ways they could. I also had my fellow Propellers and two fantastic feedback mentors who graciously guided me into becoming a better writer. I’m beyond fortunate to have had kind people come along with me each step of the way because it’s not necessarily something that every high school student experiences.

The greatest lesson I learned at Propel is that as people we’re never going to grow and become better if we don’t push ourselves to get past the fears that keep us from pursuing our goals and our dreams. I’ve always loved writing, but before Propel I never shared that part of myself with anybody. I only ever wrote when I was alone and I kept it hidden in my many notebooks because I didn’t want any questions about what I was writing or judgments on whether it was good or not. I dreamed of being a world-renown novelist, yet I was too scared to allow others to read my work and form an opinion of their own. I quickly realized that if I truly want to better my skills, I have to allow myself to be vulnerable and listen to the critiquing of others. It wasn’t until I accepted the fact that I truly began to grow as a writer.

As for my plans for the future, I will be attending U of W in the fall for Spanish studies, as well as some creative writing courses along the way. I hope to one day be a professor or a translator, though I fully intend to pursue a writing career on the side because it’s definitely something I cannot give up on. Though, admittedly, as I prepare for graduation and entering the world of adulthood and University, part of me fears leaving Propel behind as it’s been something of a safety net for me. It has been a safe space to socialize and share my art amongst wonderful, hardworking people. I have learned so much during my time at Propel and I’m greatly appreciative of all that I have gained from this experience. I can confidently say that this program and its teachers will always hold a special place in my heart.