Changing the World Through Our Words

Lately, everything seems to be coming to the forefront. We can no longer stay silent and hidden, sweeping our historical systemic racism under the rug. There are people in power triggering all of our old wounds, inciting violence, but also causing us to reflect and revisit the ways we’ve been hurting each other.

Racism is a fact of life. The pandemic is a reality of our new life.

Writing is a tool that can be used to make changes. But how do we write and create when everything in the world is overwhelming right now?

I listened to an SCBWI webinar called, “Two Directors Talking,” where creative director for Sesame Street Laurent Linn, spoke about our inability to create and its power to heal. He encouraged us to write saying, “Stories and books and art have survived and thrived through every catastrophe of civilization. This is the time we need your stories and your art. It can be really hard. A lot of illustrators I’ve spoken to and writers haven’t been able to do anything…Now is the time. The world needs your stories. We need to tell our stories. We need to get it out. I truly believe art and stories are healing.”

Knowing this is inspiring and motivating, but you still might not feel compelled to write.

I’ve been listening to a lot of activists and life coaches, and I finally understand why.

FEAR

When we’re in a state of fear, our bodies react by fighting, fleeing or freezing. This is the reason why we want to attack people on social media, quit projects or simply stop writing. In response to the fear of everything going on in the world, we’re responding from a place of fear.

To return to a place of inspiration, we need to infuse our life with joy, calm and hope. We can use our fear to remind us that we need to take care of ourselves. We can use that fighting energy to make changes in the way we were living our life. But we need to first restore our energy, find ways to nurture the parts of us that have been stuck inside paralyzed by the world and the unsafety that we’re all feeling right now.

Writing can heal that part of us. But if you’re not ready, there are things you can do to light the fire and kindle inspiration.

READ

Be moved by the words of other writers. This could be prose in a literary magazine, poetry, novel, picture book, or words in parenting or home decor magazines. When I’m stuck and feeling blocked, I pour myself through words from different genres. How could your vocabulary not be expanded by reading things like, “tropical kitsch,” or “whimsical folklore,” phrases I picked up from an old copy of O at Home and this month’s issue of Parents magazine.

You could reread old middle-grade books, the ones that reeled you into their world leaving the current one far behind.

NURTURING OUR OTHER SENSES

We need to nourish our senses. All of them.

Although we’re confined in many ways, there are still rivers of opportunities to play and nurture our inner selves. We can do this simply by evoking all of our senses and being mindful when we’re experiencing it.

It’s the smell of baked bread.

It’s the faint scent of leaves or the crunch of branches under our feet.

It’s listening to music from a different time or viewing a piece of art.

It’s ice-cold watermelon on a hot day.

It’s playing with paints, playdough and pretending.

I know things are hard right now. And we want to fight. And we want to make change. And we want to right all the injustices happening. We should do all those things.

But we also need to take care of ourselves.

Creatives are sensitive souls. And our greatest gift is the ability to communicate beauty and meaning in creative ways. We can’t do that if we’re emotionally drained.

So take a break from the news. Give yourself permission to rest with the promise you’ll return invigorated.

Your computer will be waiting when you return, restored, and ready to write.

One more thing. This is not about distraction. If you’re not writing about what’s important because you feel uncomfortable, then you need to reflect on why that is. Being uncomfortable and staying silent are recipes for further pain from racial prejudice, discrimination and more tragedies in our country.

Be mindful of why you’re staying silent. We need voices and words to change the narrative of our collective culture. We need strong, courageous, and authentic voices to do the work to let these pour through. Be conscious of why you’re taking a break and then write boldly and beautifully about your experience so it can change the world.