Okay. Β Someone asked me how I feel about writing fiction in a world that still needs actual activism and hands-on work to make life better. Β They said something similar to, βI get pulled away from writing fiction because I feel guilty for not making tangible benefit to the world. Β Isnβt fiction just escapism?β
But I also got the following message, which Iβm filing some of the serial numbers off of, as it were:
βI just wanted to tell you something. When I was 18 years old, my life was a fucking mess. I worked at a store that sold comic books and one day I stumbled upon Spider and the filthy assistants. Your comic kept me from killing myself. There is a character limit here so I canβt say everything I want to but thank you. From the very deepest part of my heart.β
I post this not to self-aggrandise. Β It is not a unique message, for good or ill. Β I get them surprisingly regularly. Β Frankly, messages like that scare the hell out of me, because Iβm not very smart and not a very clever writer and I fuck up all the time.
But fiction speaks to people. Β Even fiction like mine acts to tell someone, somewhere, that theyβre not alone.
You want tangible, social benefits to writing fiction? Β There are people walking around today because other people wrote words that spoke to them. Β Thatβll do.
vaporwave
origamiaround
kianamaiart
prguitarman
tangentwithtanner
snowghoul
kaledo-art
