Sunday, November 6, 2011

I find it a thrill to connect with another writer.  To have their words touch my soul.  To communicate to them my appreciation of their sharing.  I got to occasion to do so today.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about writers, it’s that we’re a passionate bunch who are fiercely attached to the words we scribe, each and every one being little parts of our hearts that we’re willing to share. 

For writers, it’s not a matter of if we want to write.  We must.  To deny that is equivalent to shaking a can of soda pop and hoping it won’t explode. Sooner or later, those bottled up words must come out.  And they do.

Anyone who’s ever been honest about why they write can tell you, it’s not about the paycheck or notoriety.  What writers hope to do is connect with the words they put to paper.  They hope that, in some small way, what they share might somehow touch another…just one…that’s all we ask—that our written sentiments infuse themselves on a single reader.  If more are impacted, we are beyond grateful.

As a writer, I’m keenly aware of these realities and go out of my way to show my appreciation to others whom are willing to share bits of their souls through their writing.  Earlier tonight, I came across one such writer who penned an article.  His words rang true with how I feel, and so I contacted him to show my appreciation for the skill with which he’d put to words sentiments that are often a challenge to make others understand. 

It felt good to acknowledge another writer.  To hopefully put a smile on his face and make his heart leap to know that someone out there cared enough about what they wrote to take the time to respond. 

I wasn’t surprised when I heard back almost immediately from the writer that my words had touched him deeply.  As we continued to message one another, we shared more about our thoughts on writing—why we write.  When I shared why I write, the other writer responded that they were at a loss of what to say, for I’d put into exact words their sentiments on writing.  That made me feel good, not only to connect with another, but also to do so with another writer who could share a deeper appreciation of written words.