Why Writing Is Powerful:

I want you to take a moment and ask yourself, why do you write? Why do you spend your free time sitting down and crafting fictional stories? Why do you continue when people tell you it's a pointless hobby?

I can't tell you what your answer is, because every person's answer to the question will be different. I want you to know I don't ask you that question so you start doubting why you write. I ask that question so I can provide an answer. An answer, I hope is VERY encouraging to every single one of you reading this post. Why would you continue when someone stomps on your writing? You can/should continue because writing is important. And why is it important? Well, because it's powerful.

WRITING IS POWERFUL!

Let me show you a few reasons why writing is powerful:

1) Writing Impacts The Readers

When a reader picks up a piece of writing they are transported into that world. They have no choice but to follow along with the story as if they were there themselves. There is power in that! There's power in the characters. The themes. The experiences. The journeys. The story!

Through your writing, the readers can either connect to things on a personal level or they can learn something new. This is the beauty of writing. I can tell you, one of my all-time favorite books Let Me List The Ways by Sarah White is my favorite because it gave me a whole new perspective and understanding of Type 1 Diabetes. On the other hand, someone who has Type 1 Diabetes could read the same book and love it because they related to the MC. Another way writing is powerful is authors can share experiences with readers that they have gone through (or maybe not). Often they do this so others don't have to go through what they had to go through. Or because they want others to know they aren't alone. An example of this is the book Again, But Better by Christine Riccio.

Writing also impacts readers because some stories stick with them forever. We all have our favorite writings, the ones that changed our lives (either literally or figuratively) and they will always have a special place in our hearts.

This is the power writing has!

"Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are." - Mason Cooley

"It was books that made me feel that perhaps I was not completely alone." - Cassandra Clare

"Readers pick up a book to have an emotional experience." - Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi

2) Writing Speaks To Those We Don't See Or Know

Take a second to think about your favorite book (or piece of writing). Most likely, you don't know who the author is other than what's written in their author bio. You likely have never met them. You likely don't know them personally. This author does not know you, where you live, or what you're like. To you, they are the author of your favorite book and to them, you are just another reader.

Now, take a second to think about a book that is considered a "Classic" that you've read recently (either for school or for your own pleasure). Likely this book is over 100 years old and the author has passed away. And yet, you're reading their work. If you read it for school, you probably had to analyze the work and you had to write a paper on it. On a book, on words that were written hundreds of years ago.

Let that sink in for a moment. Take a second to consider that. To consider both paragraphs above.

Your writing will touch/impact people you don't even know. People from a generation you aren't even from. Isn't that CRAZY!! Your words will be used to touch those you didn't even know were in the world. Or people that are living after you are gone.

If that isn't POWERFUL I don't know what is.

". . . . . books do not age as you and I do. They will speak still when we are gone, to generations we will never see." - Father from The Hiding Place (pg. 90)

3) Writing Makes People Think

Reading is thought-provoking. When you read someone else's writing it makes you think. This is powerful! Because thoughts lead to actions and beliefs. And this is a dangerous thing for some people.

People thinking for themselves and then expressing those beliefs and thoughts for others to read is dangerous because thinking people are hard to control. People who think for themselves can't be controlled like a robot. They aren't gullible. They aren't naïve. They aren't ignorant. They won't take your word for it. This is viewed as dangerous to many people. Often people in high power.

If you think about it, more often than not in dystopian societies what is one of the many things that go when they're trying to control their citizens? Books. One of the books I had to read for school was Brave New World by ​Aldous Huxley and in it, there is a scene where the "Controller" (the head guy of the society) is reading through books and deciding whether or not to allow them into the society. If the book's line of thinking doesn't align with the society's values and views it isn't allowed to be read by anyone but him.

Writing is powerful because it makes readers think. And that is a dangerous thing in and of itself.

" . . . because books make people think." - The Night Divided (pg. 69)

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I hope that this post is encouraging and challenging to every one of you!

Your writing is POWERFUL! Therefore your writing holds a very high level of duty and privilege. Don't forget that!

I will leave you all with one final quote, "Words can be like x-rays, if you use them properly - they'll go through anything. You read and you're pierced." - Brave New World (pg. 70)

With Love, Kathryn Hawke