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Do Not Underestimate the Writers’ Role in Society.

We should not underestimate the writers’ role in society. From the beginning of time, knowledge was shared from generation to generation thanks to storytellers who used their artistry to pass on information, knowledge, and wisdom to their community. Writers start writing in solitude but once the work is done writers wish for their words to be read and shared with the public at large.

A book is not finished until it has been read

Anne Proulx

Getting attention from the public is what authors are craving for, not just to shine a light on themselves and their work, but to share some meaningful and impactful words with their audience. Well-chosen words breathe hope into us when our spirits are broken, revive us when our bodies are weary, lift our spirit up when we lose ourselves in an ocean of despair, redeem the wrong we feel, and make us stronger than we know.

Do not underestimate the importance of writing. Writers write because they contribute to society.

Do not underestimate the writers’ role in society. Photo by user 31947721 via freepik.com

The world is full of people who make a valuable and essential contribution to society. There is no point in me listing them here because you know who those people are, and the list can never be exhaustive. But taking aside those people, I would like to highlight the importance that writers have in society.

[Full disclosure: Please note that I am writing this article with a totally bias outlook and I have a personal interest in this subject matter].

Do not underestimate the writer’s role in society, because writers bring to the world something that no one else can… they shape the world. Writers have the power through their words to educate, heal and illuminate the mind.

Joanne Reed

The only people who see the whole picture are the ones who can step outside the frame; writers love stepping outside their comfort zone and outside the frame to get a new vantage point. Salman Rushie articulates this very well, so I will hand this point over to him.

A poet’s work is to name the unnameable, to point to fraud, to start arguments, to shape the world, and stop it going to sleep.

Writing is as close as we get to keeping a hold on the thousand and one things that go in the world uncertainty, doubts, dreams, love, deception … that go on, slipping like sand through our fingers.

To understand just one life, you have to swallow the world.

Literature is where I go to explore the highest and lowest place in human society and in the human spirit, where I go to find not absolute truth, but the truth of the tale, of the imagination of the heart.

Salman Rushdie

Why do writers write and what is their role in society

Do not underestimate the writers’ role in society. Photo by user 31947721 via freepik.com

I didn’t decide to become a writer, I discovered I was one because of a mysterious voice that pushed me to put my thoughts on paper and turn those thoughts into a manuscript, that turned into a book and then, as if it wasn’t enough to satiate my appetite for sharing my thoughts, I decided to become a blogger and share my thoughts on a regular basis with whoever could spare a minute or two to stop by the website and engage with my writing. I write to educate, entertain and inspire.

Every writer has their own unique narrative behind the reasons why they write. One day they decide to sit at their desk and write a piece to be shared with the public. By typing frantically on their laptop they are taking a leap of faith deciding to enter the literary arena, not knowing what will be waiting for them once they step foot inside. Will the readers be gracious or vicious? Picture Russell Crowe in the movie Gladiator entering the arena for the first fight.

According to Dr. Lawrence R. Samuel (Ph.D. Psychology), the psychology behind the pursuit of literary life is not precisely clear. With rejection and criticism so much part of the literary experience and the fact that the income of the average American writer hovers around the poverty line, one has to wonder if writers have a streak of masochism in their genetic makeup to choose it as their profession. Why would anyone consent to the emotional, financial, spiritual, and even physical contortions that are necessary in order to lead a writer’s life?

Why do writers write? For posterity, money, legacy or some other reasons? All of the above and some other reasons too. Writers and storytellers write because there are passionate about writing and because they have something to say to the world.

Sharing. At a basic level, writing is about someone sharing something with someone else, making connection a key component of the pursuit. The possibility that a book can be deeply moving or at least interesting and informative to a reader is a prime motivation for writers to keep writing.

Creativity. Through their work writers have the potential of having a bond with far more people than they can in real life, a perspective that recast writing from its accepted view as a solitary and lonely exercise. From an expression of individual creativity, it shifts to a builder of relationships.

Liberation. Writing is a liberating force and something that is instrumental in allowing writers to be all they can be.

Therapy. Writing can also serve as a therapeutic release and many authors find their profession to be an ideal means of maintaining a sense of psychological well-being.

Meaning. Writing is a search for something meaningful, a longing to create something of value; to have an impact. There is an intimate relationship between the writer and the reader. The writer makes the first move and takes the first leap of faith, releasing their inner makings to the world for all to see. There is a great risk when it comes to writing, releasing content freely and openly. Content can be received graciously and given applause or simply dismembered and torn apart by readers and reviewers. Writing is a journey with its unique ups and downs.

Exploration. Writing takes you out of your comfort zone. It is the push, the striving, the discomfort. Writers write because it pushed them beyond the barriers of everyday existence into a world of opportunity, an infinite variety of maybes and what-ifs. A vast plain of words that might describe the world in which we live. For a writer, no two days are the same. The path may not always be smooth and predictable, but there are always new sights to see. There is always more to explore. Like any great journey, writing is full of ups and downs. Sometimes it feels like a roller coaster, other times it is like riding a donkey. It is an isolated but far from lonely experience. With our words and fellow travelers/readers to keep us company, adventure lurks around every corner. Writing can never be a waste of time because it takes you to places you would never go.

Do not underestimate the writer’s role in society, because writers bring to the world something that no one else can… they shape the world. Writers have the power through their words to educate, heal and illuminate the mind.

Joanne Reed

Personal Note

DDI Chat – Personal Growth – One-to-one Chat with Joanne Reed

In addition to publishing my articles on my website, I have also been publishing on Medium. I have been working closely for the past months with Data-Driven Investor (DDI) Publication.  DDI has recently launched a new marketplace/platform where people can book a paid one-to-one session with an expert of their choice.  DDI asked me to join their panel of advisors/experts in the Leadership, Coaching, and Personal Growth category.  Here is my profile. If you wish to book a one-to-one chat with me you can do so on this platform.

For more on this subject you can purchase my book This is Your Quest online at BookLocker, from Amazon or from Barnes & Noble.  The Ebook version is available on Amazon (Kindle), Barnes & Noble (Nook), Apple (iBooks) & Kobo. Check out my Amazon Author Page here or my listing on Booksradar.com

Author Interview – Why Story Telling Matters

Why one would be interested in reading an author interview? Because ‘you cannot underestimate the importance of writers; writers described things that other people don’t have time to describe’ – James Baldwin

I was recently interviewed by the Literary Worm and the Nerdy Bibliophile who kindly recommended my book ‘This Is Your Quest’ to their respective followers. I would like to share this interview with you, not so much to shine the spotlight on myself, but more so to highlight the importance of why story telling matters.

There are two ways to learn valuable life lessons that will teach us to become a little bit smarter and wiser. The first method is through trial, errors and personal experience and the second method is through story telling. The downside of the first method is that it will no doubt brings you a fair amount of pain and suffering, which is something that we all want to avoid as much as possible. Learning life lessons through someone else’s struggle and ordeal is a much less painful way to go about it whilst still bringing the same benefits. And that is where story telling comes into the frame. Stories teach us about life about ourselves and about others.

So, sharing my story with readers as to how I came to write my book and what I found out along the way may well trigger some interest, it may motivate some aspiring authors to jump into the literary arena, and also get more readers to join me and find out how they can go on their own Quest to find happiness.

Meet the Author

When did you first realized you wanted to be a writer?

Writing is a fairly new thing for me, I never had this big childhood dream of becoming an author. It just happened and it surprised me as much as it surprised all my friends and family when they discovered I became a published author.  I started writing because I had a lot of things to says, there is so much wisdom and knowledge out there, some have been forgotten and some has been hidden away. I just wanted to bring those stories back to life and share them with all the curious souls out. You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy books, so I wanted to write a book that will help people go on their own Quest to find happiness.

Toni Morrison said: “If there is a book you really want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” I couldn’t find anywhere a book that deal with all the subjects I was interested in; most self-help books are very focused on one particular subject either money, love or health taken separately. I couldn’t find a book that dealt with those subjects all at once, a book that inspired me but also challenged me, a book that could act as a compass when I was feeling lost. So, I decided that I should write such a book myself.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

More than an author I consider myself an artist, because it is more fluid and more suited to my current state of mind. Charles Bukowski said: “An intellectual says a simple thing in a hard way, an artist says a hard thing in a simple way.” I made it my personal Quest to make my writing informative, accessible and entertaining and I want to be part of that new self-help trend that make philosophy and history cool again, not reserved for the up-tight academic and his students.

What genre of books do you enjoy the most?

I read a lot of non-fiction books. There is so much information, tips and wisdom in those books; but reading those books feels a bit like ‘work’. I like taking non-fiction books with me on weekends away and on holiday. I also enjoy reading poetry because words in a poem have a lot of meaning and intensity. Before I write a piece, I like reading poetry, I let the words in the poem envelop me; it helps with my writing style.

What is your suggestion/advice to aspiring authors on writing and publishing?

Advice to aspiring authors: Read a lot and write a lot

My advice to aspiring authors is to read a lot and write a lot. Authors are inherently curious in nature. Reading is one way to express that curiosity whilst absorbing a lot information and getting acquainted with lots of different writing styles. Writing is the process by which you let go of what’s inside your head and heart. The most surprising thing I learned about writing is that “your book is not finished until it has been read.” New authors should see themselves as marathon runners and not sprinters. There are thousands of books being published every day; sadly, the majority of these books will stay in semi-obscurity. New authors should be relentless in their Quest to make their work visible and accessible to a larger public and you do this one reader at a time.

How many books have you published so far and are you working on some new project?

This is Your Quest

I launched the 1st Edition of my book in April 2018. The 2nd Edition came out in May 2019 together with the French version of my book which I translated myself. So, I wrote one book, but I have three versions of it. I am currently working with a professional voice actress (her voice is amazing) on the audio version of my book. I am anticipating being able to launch the audio version of my book by the end of October. Watch that space!

Where can readers find your work?

You can find my book on Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, Kobo. Or you can purchase the book directly from my publisher www.bookocker.com/9732. You can also visit my website and  do an easy purchase from there www.authorjoannereed.net.

What do you like to do apart from writing?

I love being in nature and doing outdoor activities such as walking or riding my bicycle or my motorbike. Horse riding is one of my favorite activity, but I don’t have the opportunity to ride often. I also like keeping fit and the best way for me to do that is by practicing Muay Thai; it is intense, fun and a useful skill to have.

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

In 5 years’ time I’d like to see myself belonging to the category of writers whose work is appreciated and recognized by a large pool of people who read my work because they find a lot of value in it, and because it brings them some clarity and help them be the best version of themselves.

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For more on this subject you can purchase my book This is Your Quest online at BookLocker, from Amazon or from Barnes & Noble.  The Ebook version is available on Amazon (Kindle), Barnes & Noble (Nook), Apple (iBooks) & Kobo. Check out my Amazon Author Page here or my listing on Booksradar.com.