(ThyBlackMan.com) Writers are a very important part of a culture, and society. Writing is not an easy task; it requires constant learning and research. It doesn’t matter if someone is a journalist or novelist preparation is mandatory. When a person declares they are a writer the response can vary. Sometimes they are deemed as dreamers that drink coffee/tea all day, live an isolated life, stare at the screen all day waiting for inspiration to strike, or they are deemed as not having a real profession. Granted there are those out there that simply love the idea of being a writer while never truly taking the time to sit down and write.
For those of us that answer the characters in our heads with a pen, feel the need to write for our society because finding ways to explain what is happening around us is necessary, or if you are simply writing so that your voice may transcend time know that what you are writing is a challenge worthy of respect. Unfortunately, writers are not always valued for their contributions to society, and they have to fight not to get taken advantage of…they have to fight to earn a living doing what they love.
Writing in itself is a process that takes time, and plenty of revision. I’ve never met a write that told me they wrote a draft that was perfect on the first try…or the second. It is important to have a hunger for knowledge as the world of writing changes, and evolves, as the world around us adjusts. The writer sits as their computer and, depending on their genre, begins to craft a story (or many) to show their readership the world around them. Sometimes fiction is required to allow the reader to step outside of what they know as reality to see the issues addressed without distraction. Journalists sit down to write about what is taking place in our society as it is happening. Reading their work is informative and gives the reader many different perspectives to consider as they make up their mind on how to see the situations happening in the news. There are so many kinds of writers, and though they differ they all go through a process on the path to publication.
Today there are so many ways a write can get their work out, and many have turned to blogs and online publications. These platforms can be very productive, but the writer must be sure they are being paid what their work is worth. Often times writers are not paid what their work is worth, and they know it. When they are new to a site, they may allow the pay to be a bit less than they should, but they expect to be properly compensated once established. Far too often they are swayed by what that are told is the “average” for online writers, but if they do their own research, they may find that they are being taken advantage of. It is unfortunate when we look in the news and find that large companies aren’t paying their writers. Publications must do better, but that will only happen when writers unite to make it clear that their work is of value.
When you sit down to read a magazine, an article on a blog site, the latest news, a novel you love, a manual, a school textbook, or an advertisement please remember someone had to sit down to write what you are reading. Writers impact many areas of your life, and what they do isn’t easy. Without writers there would be nothing to read, and reading is necessary. Next time someone tells you they are a writer respect their profession.
Staff Writer; Adonicka Michele