Challenging Writers to Create Stories With Meaning

Are books magic? A strange question, one that may cause some to shake their heads in scorn and joke that poor Hannah has finally gone crazy. But it is not, after all, such an odd question. Books have the power to transport us to new worlds. They allow us to make friends with people we have never met, open our minds to ideas we would have otherwise never considered. And sometimes, if the writing is powerful enough or the words read often enough, books can change the way that we live our lives. They can change the way we think and talk, and even the way we act.

It is because of this that books are so beautiful and yes, even magical.

Is it not odd, then, that something with so much power is often misused…or not used at all? Go to a book store. Walk up and down the aisles. What will you see?

Books ranging from 300-400 pages, because apparently that’s the sweet spot. Four different types of covers: two characters almost kissing, extremely dark-looking covers, headless people walking in a field, or psychedelic colors paired with childish font. The stories focus on a broken girl’s search for happiness, which she finds in a devilishly handsome man who loves her more than the sun. Or, perhaps, a hero’s journey to save the world from destruction because…er…that’s what he’s supposed to do. Nice people die to raise the stakes. A couple of black characters are thrown in to add diversity. The common message? Fight to find your own happiness in an extremely screwed up world.

It makes me sick.

Stories can be such wonderful things. Their words can inspire people to make better choices, help them see the world from a new perspective. They can paint magnificent worlds and awaken convictions within people that have lain dormant for many years.  Book characters can bring hope through their victories and encouragement through their pain.

And we’re wasting that.

Novels have so much potential to make people really stop and examine their lives and the societies they live in. But, unfortunately, that tends to be thrown out the window for “strong” female characters, zombies, teen romance, corrupt governments, and mindlessly evil antagonists. Interesting elements, to be sure, but writers are allowing them to crowd out any hope of a novel showing a bigger picture or a deeper meaning.

So often, I think we forget that we, as writers, have the power to encourage and inspire through our stories. We get caught up in outlines, interesting plot twists, fleshing out characters, world-building, working social media, and doing all of the things we’re constantly told writers are supposed to do. And we forget to add meaning to our stories. Messages and morals slip through the cracks, leaving an entertaining story that, upon close examination, means very little or nothing at all.

Snap out of it, people!

We’re given the gift of being able to bring words to life and we squander it. Sure, we’re still writing interesting, entertaining stories, albeit slightly repetitive and predictable. But they’re stories that have no point….Stories without souls.

It makes no difference if our protagonist is working to save the world. We need to show why the world is worth saving.

It’s not enough to have a character struggle with PTSD. We need to write them fighting it, coming out of it, learning from it.

Throwing challenges at a character is worthless if we aren’t going to write about how that character overcomes them….or even why he or she wants to.

Don’t just plop in minority characters for diversity. Show your readers why they are important. 

Stand for something. You need to have a reason for writing a story that goes beyond, “I just like to write” or “I’m trying to make money.”

In Japan, they have a beautiful word: Ikigai. It means “a reason for being.” It is not selfish. Ikigai does not refer to making money or achieving socioeconomic success. It goes beyond that. It is finding the value and purpose in your life, giving you a reason for getting up each morning.

Source: http://theviewinside.me/what-is-your-ikigai/ 

It’s supposed to be applied to people, but I think this concept can be applied to books, too. Every story needs an ikigai. Every story needs a reason for being written.

So pause for a second and think. What problem do you see that needs to be brought to light and fixed? How can you, through your writing, help those around you? What, in short, is your story’s ikigai?

It needs to have one. It may take a while to find. You may have to edit and refine. You’ll probably find more than one message running throughout your book. Highlight them. Create them so that they’re impossible to ignore. Make it so that, when somebody puts down you book, they sit back and take a moment to think. To feel satisfied because they know that what they just read will stay with them for a long, long time.

You don’t have to sacrifice your story to do this. And you don’t have to whack people over the head with your beliefs. You just have to write with purpose. It’s scary, because that’s your heart right there on the page, but it’s worth it.

Think about the books that have made a difference in your life. Why did you like them? Because they had a good plot, interesting characters, good writing. But also because they meant something. The words spoke to you like you were the only person on earth. Like all the author ever wanted was for you to see that little piece to the puzzle that helps you understand what makes the world go 'round.

You’ve read countless stories. But those are the ones you remember. Because those are the ones that really matter. As Samwise the Brave says, “Those were the stories that stayed with you, that meant something even if you were too small to understand why.”

And so the question must be asked again: are books magic? The answer to this question now seems apparent. Books have the power to affect the mind, to change the world. If something so small, something constructed of ink, glue, and words, can do all of these things, then the answer is yes. Books are magic, and they should be treated as such.  

Instead of tapping into just its smallest amount of potential, why not go all in? Why not use books to build up and encourage people everywhere? We can do it. You know we can. So what’s stopping us? Nothing but our own ignorance of the abilities that we hold.

So here is my challenge to you: Every time you sit down to write, stop and think. Remember the power you have. Consider what you can help people fix. And then write. Not just a good plot and deep characters. But a story. A story with meaning.

A story with a soul.

What do you think? Will you step up and take my challenge? Or do you already know your story's ikigai? Leave a comment below!

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