Writers Write…Let Them

A writer’s opinion is just as versatile as anyone’s, and more so in some cases.

A writer is there to write, not for you to criticize their mindset, or to say ‘you wouldn’t understand’. Writers are there to be open, to eliminate the barriers to one line of thought or another, and to bring one story or another to life. Sure, there are writers who will refuse to see one line of thought or another, we’re human after all, but assuming that a writer won’t be able to change their mindset or widen it to encompass different lifestyles and what they mean to people is akin to someone saying that ‘you’re this gender/race, you wouldn’t be able to understand’. Without the needed information, of course we won’t. But is it possible for a writer to learn? I did note that we’re human, so yes, of course, we’re definitely able to learn, to take direction, and respect the lifestyles of others.

Seriously, we can write about anything if we’re given the chance. You don’t want your life to be misrepresented? Then let a writer know what you’re all about, or write your story on your own.

Writers aren’t bound by opinion.

It doesn’t matter who a writer votes for if they’re open-minded, or what they feel is right. A good writer can open their mind to other venues of thought, perhaps not to agree, but at least to understand and comprehend. A great writer can write anything, no matter the point of view. Some might call this being shiftless, faithless, and without any true moral center.

Those that say such things aren’t quite as open-minded as they think.

A personal anecdote.

Not long ago I responded to a Craigslist ad for an individual that needed a screenwriter for an animated series. While the individual explained that he was an LGBTQUIA+ ally, and that he was firmly set against Donald Trump (not sure why that mattered since this is 2022, not 2020), and needed someone that could understand the mindset of a transgender individual as well as the LGBT community. In other words, this individual wanted someone that could think the way they wanted them to, and could adhere to what they wanted to see. In all honesty, wanting someone that can tell the story you want isn’t a bad thing.

But upon admitting that I didn’t care for President Biden, and did in fact vote for Trump, the pause in their voice became a little too obvious. Did I vote for Trump? Yes, I did. Do I like him? Not really, but it felt that he was the lesser of two evils at the time, much as he was when he ran against Hilary Clinton. But to be fair, I don’t care about this, because it doesn’t define my mindset. I don’t care about gender, about race, about skin color, or political affiliation. I’m here to tell a story, that’s my purpose and my goal. I’m a writer, a teller of tales, and someone that sees human beings, no matter how they identify, as human beings.

Quite honestly, the idea of rejecting a writer’s service based on who they voted for is a bit ridiculous. We writers are here to tell a tale, to continue the truths and fictions of our species, no matter how we need to think or believe in order to get the stories out where people can see them. Those that are hung up on finding someone that thinks as they do without seeking to help others understand their values and way of life are, sadly, those who have convinced themselves that inclusion is what they say it is, rather than the idea of sharing what makes us unique.

We are writers, and while belief is important, it is also fluid and versatile enough to accept more than one set of ideas.