It seems to me that all writers, including geniuses, need encouragement, especially in their early years. I always knew I could write, but that just meant I wrote a little better than my classmates. The idea of writing professionally never crossed my mind in school.
At Hyde Park High School in Chicago, a teacher named Marguerite Byrne focused her attention on me. She taught English and encouraged me to submit my writings—mostly poems at the time. Her belief made me consider writing as a possible profession.
To my surprise, the Chicago Tribune published several of my poems. They also paid me an inadvertent, supreme compliment: the editor sent a confidential letter to Miss Byrne, suspecting that her student, Stephen Allen, might have plagiarized the work. He found it hard to believe a seventeen-year-old could write at such a professional level.
When Miss Byrne showed me the letter, I was ecstatic. It was tremendously encouraging. Maybe I really am a writer, I thought.
Miss Byrne also encouraged me to enter an essay contest titled "Rediscovering America," sponsored by the CIVITAN organization. I was astonished to win. The prize was a hundred-dollar check and an invitation to a banquet in downtown Chicago.
My mother was unaware of my writing interest. That evening, I placed the check on the breakfast table for her to find in the morning and went straight to bed.
This experience highlights the immense importance of giving young people caring attention and encouraging their talents. Years later, I dedicated my book of poems, Wry on the Rocks, to Miss Byrne to repay my debt to her.
Conversely, a lack of encouragement can stifle potential. At the same high school, a Spanish teacher's cold, sarcastically critical attitude drove me away. I learned little from her, and partly due to her negative influence, I am not fluent in Spanish today.
I learned that one can also learn from negative examples by avoiding such behaviors. Witnessing alcoholism in my family made me disinterested in drinking. Similarly, my mother's heavy smoking and its unpleasant consequences led me to never smoke a cigarette.
Once again, young writers need encouragement. Thanks to Miss Byrne's influence, I have enjoyed a lifetime career writing books, songs, and TV scripts. And guess what? I haven't plagiarized a single word.