What a year it’s been! Collectively, we’ve gone through (and are still in the midst of) a long, arduous pandemic—hopefully, with a light at the end of the tunnel. We’ve seen unemployment go up, then labor shortages become prevalent, as businesses became much more, well, busy in 2021 than they were in 2020. Hand-in-hand with that have come shortages of just about everything.
Tuah. an inspiring short novel, is a collaboration between Jeyda Bolukbasi and Mark Graham Communications
Along with these ups and downs, we’ve seen people rise up—individually and in community—to speak out on topics that fill their hearts and minds. We’ve witnessed folks from every generation—from children figuring out how to “do school” again to seniors navigating a world unlike any they’ve ever seen—find ways to adapt.
As we go through these times, it’s important to look back and realize that while many of our current challenges are unprecedented, humans have always had to overcome adversity. No matter who we are, where we live, or what language we speak, all of us know stories of extraordinary bravery and strength.
Where do we encounter these and other stories? Certainly, TV, movies, social media, and websites such as YouTube contain no shortage of them. Daily, our screens bombard us with every type of tale we could possibly want to see, with only the touch of a button or swipe of a finger.
Yet, all of those media are constantly shifting. Visual storytelling has changed dramatically over the years, and there’s no telling what it will look like five or ten years from now.
These light-speed changes can feel unnerving. And they may leave us wondering: where can we find something constant?
That’s easy: the written word.
For book lovers—and their numbers, across generations and through the years, are plentiful—there’s something about a story told via the written word that appeals differently than other storytelling media. When a writer puts words to paper, and those words appear in print, we are asked to use our mind’s eye to “see” what the writer is saying. The written word demands we use our imaginations in a way not required for other media.
When we read, we’re asked to decipher sentences, situations, and scenes. We may encounter unfamiliar words, challenging us to increase our vocabulary. The written word transports us to places and scenarios we might never experience in real life—indeed, sometimes to locations that don’t even exist in our own reality.
This is true for nonfiction as well as fiction. When we read nonfiction, we’re challenged to see how someone else’s stories and situation can benefit and enhance our own experience. Fiction entertains and sometimes educates. Nonfiction, when written well, does the same thing.
If you’re reading this blog, you’re likely a reader—and, possibly, you’d also like to be a writer. If so, I encourage you to put pen to paper (or hands to keyboard) and get started.
But what if you want to tell your story, but the process of writing a book is more than you care to take on? In that case, please contact us! We’d love to help.
