Article by Elise Kleinman

I'd venture to say that no one made it through his or her childhood without being asked numerous times, "What do you want to be when you grow up?". For me, that was always easy. At six I wanted to be a teacher; at ten an interior designer; at twelve an actor; at sixteen an architect; and at eighteen a set designer. Well, here I am, at twenty-four and though I get paid to produce toy commercials, I don't think of myself solely as a producer! On any given day I am a singer, actor, director and most recently, a writer. It's been over two years since I discovered this new passion and long for a day when something will inspire me to type until I can't focus on the computer screen.

One of those days occurred in March, on March 3rd to be exact, after attending WET's Writer's Panel. After hearing five accomplished female writers talk about their work and success, hearing the passion and excitement in their voices, and knowing that they too went through the frustrations I go through daily, I left with hope and confidence in my own work. Listening to these five women, each of whom is very unique in her own way and each with a vision and a bound copy of that vision, made me realize that I can be right up there with them at the next panel.

So, thank you women -- the writers, the members of WET, and the coordinators of the panel. Who knows how many other women sitting in the audience will finish that poem, play or book after listening to the writers on March 3rd. Just one would have been an accomplishment. But I guarantee I'm not the only one!.