Those were the words of my mother, in the mid-1960's, to a young boy with a strong interest in poetry. I had one of those little manual typewriters that I'd received as a Christmas gift, to go along with the toy printing press I'd bought to produce a neighborhood newspaper.

Writing was in my blood. It might be in yours too, the passion to put words on a page just as others put color on a canvas or craft wood into furniture. Words were powerful, and I loved them.

Keep a copy of everything you write. It's easy to do these days, using a computer. But don't just keep your work to see how many drawers you can fill in a file cabinet. Keep a copy to refer to in the future. I promise, you'll re-read something you wrote ten years ago, even a year ago, and wonder who wrote it. You'll find ideas and inspiration tucked away in old thoughts, and these words will inspire new genius in your writing.

My mother passed away two years ago, but her wisdom of four decades ago was genius. I took her advice and kept a copy of every page, recycling used carbon paper and notebook paper forty years ago before we could conceive of word processors. As I wrote, and my experience grew, I came to realize that writing was what made me happiest. And it's one of the passions that drive me today.

Thanks, Mom. You and Dad gave me the encouragement I needed. May your advice and my work encourage others to pour their hearts into the written word.