Real Words

The average day in a writer’s life doesn’t feel very monumental. There’s a lot of sitting at the computer, working the words out on the page. There’s a lot of wandering around the home or office … a lot of “research” … a lot of avoidance. There are moments that may feel huge, when the writing is working and things are going as they should. But even those monumental moments are lost to the tedium on most days.

Despite this, the work that writers produce is important. The days may often feel dull but the results are magical. When a writer works, that writer is participating in efforts to change the world.

Here are just eight ways the results of a writer’s work make ripple-effect changes that are indeed monumental:

1. Education. At a basic level, writing is about disseminating information to others. It serves the purpose of educating readers in various topics and ways of thought. Education and awareness are fundamental to change in the world.
2. Inspiration. You never really know how your writing is going to impact someone else but if you make writing your living then you can rest assured that it will inspire someone somewhere.
3. Invention. Writers often dream up things, people, and situations that don’t really exist. They may also invent ways of resolving problems in the world around them. Whether in fiction or non-fiction these crative inventions can lead to real world change.
4. Support. When you write about a topic, you support it. The people who read about that topic and relate to it feel safer in the world because someone else is writing about the things that matter to them. That kind of support is what life-changing movements are made of.
5. Practicing free speech. Writers don’t always write things that others agree with. By writing - and later speaking - about things that are sometimes controversial, writers can take a stand for free speech.
6. Providing new perspectives. Sometimes the only way that someone can see things through another’s eyes is to read a straight-to-the-heart description of an opposing point of view. By sharing their writing, writers put their perspectives out into the world and may spark more open-mindedness around them as a result.
7. Through play. Sometimes what writers are really doing is playing with language. Poetry, poetic prose and even just the occasional turn of phrase can show off this sense of playfulness in writing. This encourages others to play … and play makes the world a better place.
8. Setting an example. Writers may not live lives that are filled with ideal days. Nevertheless, the majority of them love what they do. They show that you can pursue an artistic way of life, st your own schedule to some degree and still make a living in the world. That sets an example to others who only dream of doing the same.

Question of the Day: What do you think is the number one way that writers change the world?

[Tags] writing, world, change, writers, freelance, creative [/Tags]