Image via Wikimedia Commons
I write for myself.
What I write may resonate with people of my gender, race, ability and sexual preference, and it may resonate with people beyond those narrow boundaries, but that’s not my business. My business is to write so that my soul rings with the truth, beauty and sheer bliss or agony of what I write.
I feed my writing soul with stories that cross the boundaries that confine my narrow life experience, and I pay attention when something resonates with me, and I won’t feel guilty if I try to incorporate those truths into my own work. I also feed my writing soul with stories that live within my narrow life experience, but dig deeper or reach higher than I have ever dreamed. If something resonates, I have permission to transform it and use it in my own writing.
I will explore my feelings when I write something that makes me anxious or sad or unhappy. I will not feel burdened to publish anything that makes me feel bad. On the other hand, I will not sugarcoat my writing simply because it might have the power to make someone else feel anxious or sad or unhappy.
I want to write joy, but I also recognize that joy is heightened when contrasted with pain. I will not write pain for the sole purpose of pulling some reader’s heartstrings, but I will not be afraid of writing the pain, either.
I will pay attention to my readers and trusted critics, but ultimately, what I publish has my name on it, and I will write for myself.
I am a writer, and I write for myself.
(A statement in progress, to be updated as needed.)
Eight Ladies Writing 
Beautifully said, Michaeline! Bravo.
I love this, Michaeline.
Well said, Michaeline!
I’ve been Twittering too much, and wrestling with guilt as well as anger, doubt and fear. It’s so hard to know what the right thing to do is . . . at least gives me something to do, and keeps me from butting into conversations where I can’t do anything to help, but certainly can inflame.
And I felt a bit uneasy after I posted this, because to a certain extent, I have the privilege to make a declaration like this stick, and others may feel they don’t. But you know what? I want EVERY writer to have this same privilege. As long as they aren’t advocating hatred, rape or murder, they should be able to write for themselves.
Amen and AMEN!!!! At the end of the day, you have to speak your mind, for your own reasons. Those who want to read it, Great. But you can only write what’s on your mind. You can’t write to please others. It sounds fake. And speaking your mind is what blogs are all about.
(-: I’m really lucky that my Girls in the Basement are very curious and send up all sorts of characters. They aren’t that imaginative with plot, but that’s another story for another day (-:.