Does My Writing Actually Make a Difference?
We are at the mercy of the world. If we didn’t know that before, COVID has reinforced the message very, very clearly.
But the pandemic also reminded us what we can do, what is in our control—like getting vaccinated. A couple of jabs in the arm may not seem like you’re doing a lot in the face of such devastation, but your actions, combined with millions of others, make it essential.
We, as writers, are at the mercy of the publishing industry. You can write the best book ever, but if your timing isn’t right or you haven’t come across the right champion out there in the world, then your brilliance my go unrecognized (for now).
But what if, like the pandemic, we focus on what we can do? What if we do what is in our control?
Which is to write.
And what if we show that piece of writing to one other person? Or maybe two? Maybe it’s your spouse or your best friend or your parents. Now you’ve impacted at least one other person’s life through your words. And if every writer did that? Just touched the lives of a few people? Do you know how many lives would be affected by our writing?
Dream big, by all means. Strive for that bestseller, if that’s your goal. But ultimately, we write to make a difference in a reader’s life.
We don’t need the publishing industry for that.
We’re already doing it.