A License to Thrill

Writers have the power to build worlds and shape people, both those on the page and those with living souls. Yet like with all great power, this one comes with great responsibility. With one word, the writer can spark any emotion or turn any thought. A world that once didn’t exist can breathe life with a simple flourish of their fingertips. The choice is ours, but part of being a good writer is realizing that the words we put on the page affect our readers and knowing how to use those words wisely and effectively.

Our creative ability is the pen with which we write. While James Bond has a license to kill, we have a license to create, a license to thrill. If there are any obligations we writers have to our readers it is this: to always do our best; to take a break; to take the time to polish our work; to be earnest and follow up on the promises our writing makes; so that when our work goes out into the world, our readers will be better for having captured our thoughts. That’s why we write, isn’t it? First, we write to create, and then we write to relate. As Dickens said, “A word in earnest is better than a speech.”

Of course, this doesn’t mean to write merely for the people or write what people tell you to. If you’re going to write, pen the thoughts in your mind, not the thoughts in other people’s minds. Otherwise, it’s like a type of plagiarism. While we have an obligation to our readers to do our best and uphold our integrity, the obligation that is theirs is to listen to what we have to say, whether or not they agree. Husein Nishah said that “Respect is earned”, and I find that one of the ways to earn respect is to say what you mean with a polite intention and special intelligence, without fear of differing perspectives.

So readers, respect your writers, and writers, write on, but with a burning passion, an earnest soul, and a firm mind.