Sunday, March 30, 2008

Why Write Stories?

Yesterday, a fellow blogger asked me what makes me want to tell stories.

When I was younger, I always felt I had something to tell the world, I just didn’t know how to give it words yet. Years later, I still don’t, but I have a general sense it has something to with making the world a little bit brighter for everyone in it. I believe that most people feel this way; they genuinely want to heal the world, but don’t know how. And I believe that many of use will succeed, in our own ways, because the will and abilities are there.

Why I think writing stories is my ticket to doing it, is that it’s the one thing I really feel like I’m good at. Even when I was six, while the other kids were playing tag and ball at recess, I was making up stories in my head, complete with music. It was like there was always a movie going on in my head. 22 years later I’m still like this. For me there is a really powerful story in everything. There are also a lot of boring ones, which is what separates a true writer from the drones and whiners. Who talks about dry cleaning for half and hour? Seriously!

A great filmmakers that I admire said, (I believe it was Kiyoshi Kurosawa when I saw the festival premiere of his film, Pulse) said that if you see his movie and then you hold your wife a little more tightly, that he’ll feel his done his job correctly. Ironically, I just realize I’m bringing up a film that was intended to depict the internet as a wasteland for ghosts. Kiyoshi explained that he found the internet was having the opposite of its desired effect. Instead of bringing people closer together, people were shutting themselves off in their rooms rather than being social, and there’s certainly some truth to that.

My goal is to write stories that inspire people to be good to one another. People need to know what parts of their lives really need fixing, and what parts that upset them, but actually shouldn’t. Everyone is constantly under tremendous stress, and nature never intended for us to be so callous to one another or cruel to ourselves.

I want to inspire as many people as I can to make the world a better place for all of those around them, even if they don’t know how.

So many people are so afraid to change. I often hear people say things like “that’s just the way it is” or “that’s how it’s always been.” Excuse me? We’ve always had automobiles, television and machine guns have we? And then they’ll say “well, the more things change, the more they stay the same.” That’s the human condition. Technology around us constantly moves forward. Industries boom and reshape the world. The way we interact and communicate changes, but our emotions stay the same. People have been hypnotized into thinking the world is out of our hands, spiraling out of control, and we need to take it back.

I still have this feeling that there’s something the world needs me to figure out, and that’s my part. I don’t know what that is, or how I’m supposed to figure it out, but for now, my plan it to keep up with this blog, and see if the next step presents itself. I’m not entirely sure I even answered today’s question, but for now, hopefully, I’ve said something.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good luck!
You should write a story about a team of international super assassins that have a layover in the capital of Canada because of a blizzard and hilarity ensues!

Anonymous said...

you should re-write all the star wars prequels becuz you could do way better then that george lucas guy. just dont cast me in them

Anonymous said...

I think you should write a story about a time-travelling hot dog.

Inkpot said...

I think it is important that writing should lead to something - whether it brings enlightenment to some part of life, brings catharsis, enthertains and uplifts or shines light on something that was in the dark. I commend you for wanting to make the world a better place and for using writing to achieve this, one word at a time. Good luck with your goal, I am sure you will succeed. :)