"The old man paced aimlessly around, searching for his lost daughter," I said aloud, my voice projecting into the room.

"Stop it! Stop that!" she exclaimed, her words sending chills down my spine. My hands fidgeted, and the pile of papers in my hands fell to the ground. The sight of my scattered papers made me realize how close I was to giving up on my writing.

They laughed, pointing fingers of ridicule and rejection at me. "Can't you learn from your friends who come out here every year with science projects, fashion designs, and social media content that resonates with the world and global trends?" Tears streamed down my face. Wasn't I...