Let’s face it, there is a lot of shit (for lack of better word) going down these days, which has many people on edge. Everyone has an opinion and a perspective, and of all people who should be voicing their point of views are writers.
Earlier this morning, a writer stated a political opinion. Shocking! I know!
He was criticized by another author who believes writers should not speak out about politics, or let’s just say, have an opinion that others will not agree. It was this man’s belief writers need to be impartial and unbiased, because we may upset fans or readers. Ooh, we wouldn’t want readers to know authors have societal points of view.
Another author stated authors who promote opinions online are at risk at not making money, because you know writers are supposed people pleasers out to make a buck. That is indeed the case for some writers, but not all. Some writers write because we have definite world view.
I apologize for my sarcasm. I feel passionately writers should have opinions. My favorite authors inspired my writing and political activism – John Steinbeck, Kurt Vonnegut and Milan Kundera. It has always been my contention as a writer, if I don’t have a point of view I shouldn’t write. In fact, the quote I always carry with me is as below:
“Unless I have something of my own to say, and a way of my own to say it in, I have no business to publish; unless I can look beyond the greatest Masters, and study Nature herself, I have no right to paint; unless I can have the courage to use the language of Truth in preference to the jargon of Conventionality, I ought to be silent.”
~ Charlotte Bronte
This is my creed. This is what I stand by as a person, a writer and as a creator.
However, I understand in today’s social media blitz we desperately desire followers and positive reviews of our work. If our point of view rubs people the wrong way we could find ourselves with negative results and the loss of fans, not to mention to lose money. But let me ask you fellow writers and artists, is it better to write our truth and stand by our words, or is it fall into the well of the masses and our words and creations between watered down. Who are we then? Why would we write?
Dear fellow writers, we have a duty to the world to offer our words of truth and solace. We have such great untapped and unrealized power in which we can change the world, as many writers in the past made an impact in society.
Writers wield power in chaotic times. We have the words to move the population. We are conceptual thinkers who interpret facts and see past biases and propaganda. We know how to characterize and create plot lines out of the mundane. This is our gift to the world we live in today.
So, when someone says, we writers should keep our opinions to ourselves, that is the voice of someone who lacks courage and conviction for the power they hold. While there are many writers currently, rewriting truths to slant toward biases, we need more writers projecting and delivering the unwavering truth for humanity.
Earlier this morning, a writer stated a political opinion. Shocking! I know!
He was criticized by another author who believes writers should not speak out about politics, or let’s just say, have an opinion that others will not agree. It was this man’s belief writers need to be impartial and unbiased, because we may upset fans or readers. Ooh, we wouldn’t want readers to know authors have societal points of view.
Another author stated authors who promote opinions online are at risk at not making money, because you know writers are supposed people pleasers out to make a buck. That is indeed the case for some writers, but not all. Some writers write because we have definite world view.
I apologize for my sarcasm. I feel passionately writers should have opinions. My favorite authors inspired my writing and political activism – John Steinbeck, Kurt Vonnegut and Milan Kundera. It has always been my contention as a writer, if I don’t have a point of view I shouldn’t write. In fact, the quote I always carry with me is as below:
“Unless I have something of my own to say, and a way of my own to say it in, I have no business to publish; unless I can look beyond the greatest Masters, and study Nature herself, I have no right to paint; unless I can have the courage to use the language of Truth in preference to the jargon of Conventionality, I ought to be silent.”
~ Charlotte Bronte
This is my creed. This is what I stand by as a person, a writer and as a creator.
However, I understand in today’s social media blitz we desperately desire followers and positive reviews of our work. If our point of view rubs people the wrong way we could find ourselves with negative results and the loss of fans, not to mention to lose money. But let me ask you fellow writers and artists, is it better to write our truth and stand by our words, or is it fall into the well of the masses and our words and creations between watered down. Who are we then? Why would we write?
Dear fellow writers, we have a duty to the world to offer our words of truth and solace. We have such great untapped and unrealized power in which we can change the world, as many writers in the past made an impact in society.
Writers wield power in chaotic times. We have the words to move the population. We are conceptual thinkers who interpret facts and see past biases and propaganda. We know how to characterize and create plot lines out of the mundane. This is our gift to the world we live in today.
So, when someone says, we writers should keep our opinions to ourselves, that is the voice of someone who lacks courage and conviction for the power they hold. While there are many writers currently, rewriting truths to slant toward biases, we need more writers projecting and delivering the unwavering truth for humanity.
RSS Feed