What Writing Means to Me

The other day in my Advanced Composition class we discussed a story from the Creative Non-fiction book we have.  Almost all of the people in class agreed that it was hard to read, follow, and just an overall bad story.  So how could it possibly have been published if the majority of a group couldn’t stand it?  We then discussed the topic further, and my Professor told us that some of the best and most classic authors and writers have been denied.  They just never gave up and kept on trying.  This, in a way, is comforting to me.  If a writer that has the most scattered story and style of writing I’ve ever read can get published, then I sure can, right?  Still, though… I was getting extremely irritated when we were talking about the story in class.  It took me three hours to get through that sucker!  We discussed in class how all it takes is for one person to like what you wrote.  This, again, is comforting.  However, I don’t want just one person to like it.  If the majority of the public is going to read what I wrote and hate it, then what is the point in having it be published?  Writing isn’t about the money to me (well, it better not be considering that’s not a field to go into if you’re looking for the big bucks) at all, it’s about changing someone’s life or having an effect on someone.  Maybe making them think twice about a decision they’ve recently made.  I want to change someone’s life with my words.  I’m not saying I have abundant amounts of wisdom.  I’m only 22, how could I possibly?  But what I do know is that I’m an extremely happy person that smiles and laughs a lot.  So I must be doing something right.  If one day I write something, it gets published, and someone comes up to me and says I helped them through something, then that’s when I will feel as if I’m doing my job.