As a child, I remember being told by my parents that I could do anything I wanted with my life. "Anything," they said, "and you can be anything." They meant it in the sense of, "You can be anything you want to be." It was their way of saying, "You are free to make your own choices in life." And this was true—to an extent.
But writing is different. Writing is both a freedom and a responsibility. It's not just about what you want to do with your life; it's also about what others have done before you and what they need from you now. You have to consider all those things when writing.
The freedom is obvious: you can write whatever you want, whenever you want. In the best sense, it's what you do when you're not sure what else to do. It's the space where you can be yourself, the place where no one knows who or what you are. You can write anything—and I mean anything—and maybe have it published, maybe not; but either way, it won't matter because you wrote what was true for you at that time. There are no rules, and there are no constraints on what you can write about, who it's for, or how long it should be. It's only limited by your imagination, which is why writing can be so exciting—it's the ultimate creative outlet!
But writing also comes with responsibility. If you're just writing for yourself, that's fine—but if you're writing for other people or even just sharing your writing, then there are things to consider before putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard. You should never assume that everyone will interpret your work the same way as you do.
Sometimes people will misinterpret what you mean based on their own experiences or biases—and sometimes some of those interpretations will make their way back to you in the form of negative feedback or criticism. That's okay—it happens to all writers eventually! But when it happens, it's important not to take those comments personally or get defensive about them; instead, try looking at them as suggestions on how to improve your writing style or content instead of attacking the person who made them.
Writing should be free and accessible to everyone, regardless of whether they're published or not—but it should also be held accountable for its impact on the world around it. When we share our stories, it's important to do so responsibly—to be aware of the impact our words have on others, whether positive or negative. And when we write about other people, we have an even greater responsibility to get those details right—to respect the stories and experiences we're borrowing from others by making sure they're portrayed accurately and respectfully.
The best writers are those who are honest with themselves and with their readers; they make us feel seen in a way that makes us want to read more of their work because we know that person is real and has lived experience like ours. We need more writers like that in our world—writers who aren't afraid of being imperfect or vulnerable; who don't need everything perfect before showing up on page; who feel comfortable sharing their own stories.
I'm not saying all writers should be transparent about their lives—but I am saying that if you can write in a way that creates this kind of connection between writer and reader, then you're doing it right. In fact, it's one of my favorite things about reading: getting to meet someone new and learning from them through their words.
In Conclusion
Writing is both a freedom and a responsibility. You can write whatever you want, but once you put it out into the world, it's going to have an impact on people.
Writing is a way to express yourself and tell the world what you think. It's an opportunity to share your thoughts and captivate an audience with your words. But writing is also something that holds you accountable for what you say—and if those words are harmful or offensive, the backlash can be overwhelming.
The freedom of writing comes with the responsibility of being careful about what you say. When we write online, our words have no boundaries—they can be seen by anyone, anywhere in the world. If you're going to write publicly, make sure your words are positive and inclusive rather than negative or exclusive.
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