I finished up a round of books that are all deep with social commentary in the message of the story. They were great stories with such meaning and touch on dark spots on our human experience.
When I got the end of the books, I reflected on my own stories I've written and they felt shallow. Yet the deep, dark sides of humanity we're constantly exposed to on the news, in conversations, and surrounding the tragic events that happen all around us are locked into our day-to-day life. So why do I feel bad for wanting to bring joy, laughter, and light into the world with my creative works?
Do I want to take my religious/political/world view and bare it to the world by burying down into the storyline and make the reader's question just what is happening in the world? Is that my purpose? Do I want that to be my purpose?
To be a writer, I want to be very clear about why I AM writing. Is it to entertain? To lighten another human's burdens even for the brief time they read my words? Or do I want to comment on social woes and strive to make changes?
In the end, I don't think it matters why I write. Maybe I'm just being too heady about this all and I should just write what I want to write and let the rest sort itself out later after I'm done with the piece. For now, I guess I will be content and get the story out of me and let the rest just be and not worry to deeply about it.
Finding the words & telling the story,
Melissa