The pen is mightier than the sword.

One affirmation of Nelson Mandela’s many words of wisdom states: “We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.”

As a writer, I see that as just another twist to Robert Bulwer-Lytton’s, “The pen is mightier than the sword.”

How’s that for giving us writers a sense of power? And riding on the shoulders of that power is a big responsibility. Are we paying attention? Are we living up to our responsibilities?

An important part of writing is reading and that’s something I do a LOT. But when I finish a book and don’t feel as if I’ve come away enriched in some way, I’m disappointed. The author didn’t let his or her light shine, didn’t send me a message of some sort, and I feel almost bereft.

I’m not saying that every novel out there must be heavy with meaning. I think we all enjoy an “easy read” once in a while—on a long airline flight, when we’re on vacation, or just when we need an innocuous distraction from the perils of Life.

But the stories that last are the ones that tackle and conquer life’s issues, that light the protagonist’s way—and ours vicariously—through the detritus of a malevolent society. Jane Austen wrote about a culture that scorned women. Yet her female characters were strong and managed to survive or overcome the system. Jodi Picoult plunges the reader smack-dab into compelling controversy in her books. She puts us in the shoes of a mother who is pregnant with a critically infirm baby, or of two women who fall in love—with each other. Dan Brown’s “The Lost Symbol” introduces the reader to amazing information about the symbols all over our capitol, plus the IONS (Institute of Noetic Science) organization.

Your stories are certainly “about something” or there is no story, really. As you build the conflict and strengthen your characters, don’t forget to let your light shine through it.

- Posted for Joan Baier by SAY