My Responsibilities in Writing
It is my opinion that the writer’s truest responsibility is to themselves. It is to tell the story that is in their hearts. It is vital to be aware of who their audience might be, but it should be down to the writer to decide how much impact this has on their work. I think it should always be down to them to determine what kind of writer they want to be.
This is strongly influenced by my own experiences. Growing up, I had a brain-stem stroke. I could not sit on a stool without aid. I had immense difficulties swallowing, and I could not talk. I had to relearn all of these. This is why I think I have more of an appreciation for what is. It is impossible for me to think of putting restrictions on someone, to tell them what they can or cannot say when I have spent time without a true voice of my own.
This is why I consider my position in the written world to be simple. It is not to write a masterpiece. I do not particularly want to address the philosophical questions of our age. I do not want to get rich from it. I do not even want to place myself among the pantheon of great writers. Admittedly, I would not be too distressed if any of these things did happen to me. But I write for those who might read my work. My only responsibilities are to them. I write for their enjoyment. I write to build them a bridge into a world of their imagination. I write to give them an escape.
I always think back to my time in the hospital, time spent around critically and sometimes terminally ill children. Children who have experienced intolerable pain. Children that could only cling onto the things we take for granted. Children that perhaps did not have that much time left. Although many things had been taken away from these children, they still had stories. They could still be read to. They could explore new lands or go toe-to-toe with dragons. They could climb mountains or set sail on an epic sea voyage. For the briefest of moments, they can see past their bleak realities. They can be happy. They can smile. This, to me, is something truly beautiful and is something that I will forever try to put into everything I write. So, this is my only responsibility in writing, just to make people smile.
