In his important book on the craft of Storytelling, “The Story Grid,” Shawn Coyne makes an insightful argument about the role of the writer and Story in our everyday lives:

Stories fuel our courage and offer the cautions that we believe will help guide our own paths.

Whether you know it or not, your desire to write comes from the urge to not just be “creative,” it’s a need (one every human being on earth has) to help others. A well-told Story is a gift to the reader/listener/viewer because it teaches them how to confront their own discomforts.

We tell stories because they help affirm life. We all have our demons. It can feel lonely. Writing is our weapon. After all, we tell ourselves the stories first.

But if we manage in any way to conquer our demons, others need to know it is possible. We storytellers must do just that. We must help show everyone that different views of the world exist.

Hope can exist.