Creative Writing Institute

and the Mystery Lady

Creative Writing Institute has an amazing story lurking behind the scenes. We seek the woman who inspired our creation. The woman whose name we don't know. The woman we have never met and cannot find. The woman who doesn't even know we exist.

The Mystery Woman

This is the second writing school I have founded. The first one was a raving success, but I gave it up to found a school for the underprivileged, but as the site was being built, I found an article on the internet that changed my life. It was June of 2008 when I found an article about a Texas lady who developed cancer at the pinnacle of her career. As her body wasted away, friends and coworkers became uncomfortable in her presence and at length, only immediate family remained. Bald, sick, suicidal, and dying, she decided to do something she had always wanted to do - write.  

At first, just a couple of times a week. Then, short stories painted new worlds into existence. Before long, she realized how much she looked forward to writing and it became a daily habit. As she wrote, her mind released the stresses of her illness. She didn't realize she had stumbled across a scientific method wherein many have found total healing - writing therapy.

Combined with medical treatment, she not only experienced a full and miraculous recovery, but also returned to the hospital where she was once a patient and went from room to room, sharing her story with other cancer patients. With her encouragement, they wrote stories, too. She picked them up every week, made little comments on them and returned them to the writer. The article concluded by saying that this woman had only one wish in life - that she could take a writing course someday.

The article haunted me day and night for a week. I literally could not sleep for thinking about her. The least I could do was offer her a writing course, so I returned to the Internet to find the article again - but to no avail. I now realize that if I had found her, I would have donated a class and gone on with my life, but by not finding her, I felt called to carry her torch. These facts plagued me:

The possibilities were endless! The whole plan hinged on one thing -- me. So I answered the call. I'm not sure why I chose to begin with cancer patients. Probably because of the Mystery Lady, but perhaps in part because my father and brother died horrible cancer deaths. Now my mother has breast cancer at age 93.

Thus, Creative Writing Institute was born October 5, 2008. We are now a legal 501(c)3 non-profit charity that sponsors cancer patients in writing courses. At present, we are also piloting a writing program for the blind. In 2013, we want to organize a picture book/writing program for children with cancer, ages 5-16. All because of the Mystery Lady.

Who is she? Where is she? I think the article originated in Dallas or Austin, Texas. Someday we'll find her. She must know she has founded a writing school for cancer patients. She must know that her courage and sacrifice has gone beyond her wildest dreams. And when we find her, we'll make her an honorary founding member and shower her with free writing courses.

I learned that one person CAN make a difference. YOU can make a difference.

Ways You Can Help

1. Any size gift will help -- http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com/donate.php/

2. We have a volunteer team that gathers writing articles, posts social networking, helps with office duties, fundraising, research, develops the reference room, etc. Some jobs require no experience. Even if you aren't a writer and you can devote only 10 minutes a day, we have jobs that you can do. Just write to me at deborahowen@cwinst.com.

3. Donate a product or expertise and write it off as a tax deduction.

4. Donate ad space on your site.

5. Carry our link.

6. Recommend this site to everyone you know.

7. Help us find the Mystery Lady!

9. Click on our blogs, "like" us, and make comments to help our ratings.

So how about it? Wouldn't you like to make a difference in life? You CAN at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com/donate.php. Will you? Thanks for dropping by!

Contact me here:

Twitter: deborahowen

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1384980956

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/deborah-owen/12/285/429

Deborah Owen

deborahowen@cwinst.com

CEO & Founder

Creative Writing Institute

http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com