In the past, I have mentioned how I want to use my position to inspire the youthful talent that most definitely resides in this small town. So why not allow a few of those talents to tell their story of what makes writing and literature special to them. First, I am going to give a little insight into why I enjoy writing so much. I most likely have already told bits and instances of my story, but a refresher is never a bad thing.
There are three reasons why writing and literature mean so much to me-the first reason is that words do truly possess power. The most significant, most compelling example of this concept is the Bible. Even today, after millenniums, the Bible still heavily influences the global population. It impacts livelihoods all across the seven seas, and at the end of the day, the Bible is just hundreds of pages of literature with a front and back cover. Throughout history, literature has been used as a catalyst that has sparked change and revolution. It has been used to settle disputes and agree on progression through treaties and declarations. Without literature, our world would be unimaginably different. Secondly, writing is important to me because today, journalism is as important as ever. Reporting the truth and what is right and just is as important as ever. As a country, we need journalistic reporting that will keep this country informed and undivided. I won't make a difference in that regard in the position I am in currently, but that is more of a career goal. The final reason why I enjoy writing so much is that it is therapeutic to me. I have helped myself get through a lot of emotional trouble by writing out my feelings and making more sense of them. By creating my emotions into stories and making something constructive and positive out of my sadness. So I would like to thank the craft of the written word for getting me to where I am today and indeed for getting us to where we are as a species.
For this article, I came together with a set of three questions to ask the young brilliants: Why do you enjoy writing, what was the moment that made you realize how much you enjoy writing and what do you want to do with your writing ability? Thanks to the appreciated assistance of Shayla Wallen, I was lucky enough to get two writers to answer these questions: Tavie Wortman and Amiya Griffith. Their answers are what follows.
Tavie's response to the first question was, "Writing gives me a release from everything that is going on in my life. Just like reading, I can use it to take a break from things and give myself a creative outlet. "Her response to the second question was, "Whenever I take a couple of days from a piece I've just written, and I come back to it, it makes me realize how powerful words are and how I can use them to do good." And her response to the final question was, "I don't want my writing to go beyond my pen and paper; I only want to do it for myself.
Amiya's response to the first question was, "Whether it be writing poetry, a short story, or code, writing is my time to be creative. I write to escape from this demanding society. I write because I do not see writing as a burden. Watching the haikus, essays, and romances I write to become a single work of art is continuously rewarding." Her response to the second question was, "Creating a poetry book from scratch in English class was the moment I realized writing was an activity to enjoy. After a writer's block, my love for writing was sparked once again when I experimented with one-hundred-word stories. This reinvigorated interest caused me to begin my own fiction novel focused on low, young adult fantasy." And her response to the final question was, "With my writing ability, I want to finish the fiction novel I am working on. In the future, I also plan to publish a poetry book. There are many ideas I have and paths I can take, but that's the beauty of my writing: it is not preordained."
It is purely a wonderful feeling to know not just that there are writers who had the same thought processes in using writing as a device to brighten up their lives a bit more but to know that these writers grew up in the same town as me. They have walked the same streets, walked the same hallways, and have encountered the same people. It fascinates me so much how we all have similar reasons to want to write. Yes, I know these girls, but I feel like I have a deeper connection between them because we all use writing as a tool of expression. No matter where a writer takes their talent, I always give equal respect. So to Amiya, I'm overly excited to see what novel you write in the future. And to Tavie, I hope writing continues to help you through time.
