Writing is lonely.
We spend hours upon hours locked up in offices and bedrooms and basements, writing words we hope will somehow mean something. It's a lot of work and it's not the kind of work that is going to make you a lot of friends. You'll miss out on a lot of opportunities to meet new people and mingle, etc, etc.
So why do we do it?
Writing is a duty.
It has been said that the job of the writer is to reveal the faults of mankind, give them a reason and a way to change.
That's some pretty deep stuff. We, as writers, are charged with the duty that doesn't make friends. Either you don't have time for a social life, or your writing doesn't make you any friends.
It's a brave work. We are charged to show the world what is wrong with it. A great many people don't want to know that.
A great many people believe writing is only entertainment. And, while it does entertain often, that is not it's true purpose.
And so, dear followers, darling writers, you must be brave and be bold. You must write what you believe. You must write the hard truth. And above all else, you must not be afraid to stay true to the story you are telling.
Many writers think it is all just entertainment. That the point is to give readers a "good ride". To you, I say no. Because writing has never been about joy rides. Because stories have never been about the fun.
We write to discover the truth. We write to reveal the truth. We write because we have something to give the world.
Do not compromise your story with your fear of others' reactions.
This is my call to you.
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