The Art of Words

Books are a part of life in a modern world, such as ours. So much so that I believe many of us take them for granted, and more so the beings behind them.

Like the stroke of brush on canvas, or the careful staging of a photograph, writing is a form of art that takes practice and care. I would consider myself an artist in many forms, I have written books, designed T-Shirts, drawn landscapes with pencils, played instruments, sewn costumes and even taken on the stage. As I see it, writing is the hardest form of art. It is not given to you, it is not colorful, nor is it all in one place.

Writing is scrambled, hastily written thoughts on a scrap of paper at 2 AM. Writing is staring at an empty page, words escaping your reach. Writing is having too many ideas, but no way to pull them from your mind. Writing is a job that never sleeps.

Being an Author is being an artist, a wizard, an inspiration. Children are often shaped by the books they read in their childhood. The stories they read live on as parts of them forever. In memories, in actions, in words. I have often found myself longing to read books I loved as a child, searching for them with whatever I pull from the dregs of my memory.

Being an author is being a friend, a world, a savior, to those in need of escape. A friend that is always there, that you are excited to see more of, to support. A world that hundreds of thousands of people can experience together, to escape the reality of our world. A savior to those in need, to those that want to give up, those that have no one else to turn to. Being an author is always being there in a time of need, whether you know it or not.

Words are powerful things, and to conjure so many of them into a story that enchants and delights thousands... Is a treasure. It's not easy, and so rarely is it recognized for the magic it really is. All authors, no matter how many books they have published, words they've written, or fans they have, are special.

Even if you don't think your writing is good, or worth anything, you are special. You have a gift, and to use it is a wonderful thing. Being an author is an experience so many of us are a part of. Yet so little do we recognize the work behind it. The hours poured into a paragraph, a page, a chapter. Finding just the right words, setting just the right mood, and then throwing it all away because it just isn't 'good enough' for us.

But you are enough. Those words on the page? They mean something. They are proof that you are still here. They are a sign that you have started. And the start is often the hardest part. Just keep going, keep pushing, keep writing.

No matter if it's one word or one thousand words, they mean something. Someone, somewhere in the world needs to see those words written by you.

I often find myself doubting my abilities, abandoning ideas and stories. And I often wonder 'who in the world could have been change by this?'. Sometimes letting go of fear and doubt is the hardest part. Letting go of control and seeing where it lands. Releasing something so perfectly imperfect into the world and seeing where it takes you.

I believe every author, no matter how young, how old, or how experienced they are, is special. It takes courage to write stories from the heart. To put something so heartfelt onto a page, to pour yourself into every word, every character, every world. Even to write of someone else's life takes courage.

Writing, in so many ways, is an extension of the self. You're putting yourself into every word, and that feels vulnerable. It feels silly, sometimes. You doubt yourself, you think no one will ever want to read your words. No publisher will take your book, no copies will sell, none of it will be worth it.

It is worth it. Every part of it helps you to grow. You grow into the person you want to become more and more with each character you write, each sentence that flows in just the right way. I believe that writing is therapy for the soul.

I began writing a book in the eighth grade, when I was just 13 years old. I wrote over 80 pages in one semester of school. I loved the story I was writing, I was so proud of the words I put down. The hours I spent in my free time thinking of the characters, of the world. I put so much love, and so much of myself into that book.

Sometime in the later half of the next semester of school I began to be depressed. I let go of my writing habits, I lost sight of what I wanted to write, and why. I left the notebook untouched for so long. Eventually I did try to continue with it, but no words came. I decided to transfer it from paper to a computer document.

It was when I started transferring those words to my computer that I started hating that book. Hating those words, and wondering why I had even written them. Who was going to read this? I would wonder. I finished transferring it all, but I didn't keep writing it. It sat abandoned for years. Every so often I would see that file and a feeling of dread would come over me.

I so wanted to delete that file and never see it again. The doubt crept in so strongly, latching onto those negative feelings. It was years before I ever looked at it again. When I was in a much better mental space.

And when I did see it again, it was the love I held on to. I started to re-read it and I fell in love with it again. It had been so long since I had read it that I had forgotten my own words. I loved reading it again.

I decided then I would finish it. I would finish it and publish it. And I did, it took a few more years of working on it in my free time. I painstakingly edited it all myself, and even now I still find mistakes in it.

But I took a leap of faith and published it on Amazon. I knew it wasn't perfect, maybe not even good, but I was proud I had finally finished it.

That pride I felt is what made all the pain worth it for me. Even if I still haven't sold any copies of my book yet, I'm proud that it's out there in the world. That someday, someone, might read my book and fall in love with it as I did.

To me, that's the joy of being an author. It's the memories and hope that come with the process of writing a book. It is stressful, it is hard, yet it is addicting.

A love of words, of story, of a world you make on your own terms. There's a magic in it that can't be found anywhere else. And to me, that's what makes it so alluring. I can explore worlds of my own making, put myself in works so intricate and heartbreaking. It is such a beautiful and underrated work.

I have such a love for writing, and such a love of authors. I respect authors that can make series of the same characters and worlds so much. It is such a difficult process to master, yet it is so fulfilling.

Writing is an amazing job, and I only hope one day more authors will be recognized for the magic they create. Authors deserve every bit of praise they receive, for it is a mighty work they do, indeed. It is so easy to walk away from words on a screen, to leave a notebook untouched.

For anyone doubting themselves, keep going. You can finish that book, you can write that sentence. You can make worlds so unique and colorful, it draws readers in for a lifetime. The world needs more books, and yours should be one of them.