Why Does Your Story Matter?

It’s the start of a new year, and many of us are taking stock. We’re thinking about what we’ve been through and maybe looking forward with hope and interesting ideas. Whether you have a to-do list for writing this year or have simply written down (as I often do) “write more write more write more,” let’s talk about why your story matters.

Even if you’re not a New Year’s Resolutions type of person, it’s hard to escape the energy of fresh starts that’s in the air right now. Sure, time is arbitrary and all, but it does impact our lives. It can feel easy to commit to our writerly goals in January, February, maybe even March. But as the months go by and the glimmer of possibility weathers into real life, we might lose that optimism. Life happens to us all, despite our best intentions. 

This is why it’s important to remember why your story matters. Being a writer can feel like such a nebulous thing. We invent stories, people, entire worlds in our heads, and try to translate them into things as fallible as words. Often it feels like actual sorcery, but sometimes it feels, honestly, pointless. Other things pull at our attention. And trust me, I’ve felt that sense of “why bother?” many times. Sometimes it feels like nobody will ever read what I’m writing. Sometimes I doubt that my work is even what people want to read. Sometimes I spend a day absorbing the stress of the world and returning to my novel about forest magic and spell-song feels futile and frivolous.

But here’s a secret: it literally never is. Writing is my favourite thing. It’s what grounds me to myself. It’s what entertains me when nothing else seems to matter. It’s what allows me to express all that’s in my mind, whether it’s something like medieval food history or the way everyday people can nudge oppressive systems apart. And even if I wrote different sorts of things entirely, my stories would still matter. I am a person alive in this time, observing, recalling, recording, inventing. It’s necessary.

If you need some reasons why your story matters, try these:

• Nobody else is you. Your own unique perspective, writing style, subject matter—everything—is valuable. Diversity of thought and voices is always important, and we need yours.
• Storytelling celebrates life. Storytelling is powerful. We’ve been doing it for thousands and thousands of years. We tell stories of epic journeys and we tell stories of everyday moments. It helps us relate and connect to each other no matter what the world is throwing at us. 
• Your story may help others. You don’t have to write overtly about an issue to speak to what others are experiencing. It can be as simple as creating an interesting character that helps a reader feel less alone, or helps them feel celebrated.
• So-called frivolous writing is great. The wider world can make it seem like we have to write “important books” to count as a writer, but that’s just not true. Creativity is fun! Reading something that the author clearly had a blast writing is one of the most life-affirming experiences I can think of. We all need rest and rejuvenation, so let your writing be a place for that to flourish.
• Your story can be your form of protest. I often feel as if there’s nothing I can do to make a dent in the world, yet I can’t help but infuse my own frustrations and hopes into my writing. It’s sometimes subtle, but it’s there. I need to get it out of my head and weave it into something that, hopefully, others will read for years to come. Protest doesn’t have to be loud. It can be just as potent when it’s quiet, lingering. 
• Observing and recording matters. Whether or not your book is reprinted for decades, expressing life as you see it is valuable for the collective record. This counts even if you don’t write about it directly. It’s infused into your style, your characters, your settings, everything.
• You’re a writer. It’s that simple. Your story matters because you want to write it! It’s what you do, and nobody else can do it like you can.

Being a writer isn’t always easy, but storytelling is one of the most valuable things we have. I hope that this year you remember your story matters and the world needs your voice.