Despite your choice of writing (short stories, novels, poetry, journalism, ect.) I feel you should always be writing to make a point or impact someone, hopefully for the best. There should be a purpose to your words.
I have had moments in life that have destroyed me, but I got through them by expressing myself through writing. Anything I ever intend to share, I always hope there is a lesson to be taken from it. Whether it is clear what my intentions were, or if it so dark that people can see that there is more light in their lives then they realized.
What's the point of writing if it doesn't do anything? I'm being really serious. If you aren't feeling something by the end of a poem or story or article, how will anyone learn from it? It's pointless. The greatest power of literature is to reach people who otherwise could not be reached.
Journalists, stick up for causes you're passionate about. For me I'd be covering the debate on legalizing gay marriage. Novelists, write what you know and help people learn from it as you did. In my novel I want people to see what I have gone through personally, and that you can get back up from darkness like that. Poets, get all that emotion out as best you can without worrying. In my poems I tend not to come to a conclusion by the end, but hopefully it's enough to get people to come to their own.
Writing is powerful. Don't waste your potential of changing people's lives simply by using your words.
