Dear Writer. Be responsible.

Inspired by recent events and filled with gratitude for anyone who has taken time off to read what I have to say. This is me saying thank you the only way I know how.

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Dear Writer,

So often, as we type away from the recesses of our rooms, struggling to find a way to produce those words with the ghost of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome hovering over our shoulder, we forget. We lose track, lose focus, lose awareness. It is important for us to remember, to remind ourselves to pay attention, stay rooted.

Remember that words are important. Be responsible about wasting them, as with any other resource. The white of a page doesn’t exist to be filled. Instead, it is a canvas for you to use judiciously, conscientiously, respectfully. Embrace the blank spaces of the margin, between your words, dividing your paragraphs, as much as you treasure the letters you are weaving together.

Remember your words are subtle. There is a difference between ‘said’ and ‘asserted’ and ‘opined,’ a difference that runs deeper than the middle school diktat of not repeating words in successive sentences. It forms opinions, defines points of view and could make a difference in ways we often do not envisage. Stay honest to the cause of expression without falling slave to the lure of aesthetic. The page should be pretty but given the choice, choose ugly over untrue.

Remember your words are read. Sitting ramrod straight at your desk long into the night, pounding away at your keyboard, it is easy to lose track. Don’t forget that a Word document becomes a page and the page travels much wider than your desk. The world isn’t the screen and those words you are mulling over are being read. You do not know when or by whom or why. They do not hear your voice or see your experience. Be accountable for your opinions and recognize their possible impact.

Remember your words are powerful. Decisions are made on the printed page. Much like the famed butterfly, that odd word could make a difference light years away. The child could receive an education, an adult could lose a relationship, someone’s world could change. It could fix a bad day, your funny piece on the perils of adulthood, or exacerbate existential angst, your rant on the state of the world today. Be sensitive, be responsible, be aware.

But most of all, remember, print never dies and ink breathes a life of its own. Use it judiciously. Wield it sensitively.

You are a writer. In your hands is magic. You are a creator. Be cognizant of the burden of creation. You are an artist. Paint a picture and bring a world alive. But always remember. You are a writer wanting to be read. Sometime, somewhere, somehow, that may just happen. Be responsible.