Writing IS Art

Writing is an art form which stimulates, educates, entertains, encourage, and prods.
Words have a way of prodding our thinking. Going outside the paradigm is a good
thing because it hlps us to grow and to expand our thinking.

I come from a family of readers. My mom read novels from such authors as Frank Yerby.
My father read non fiction books about world events. He taught me much about Cuba before
Fidel Castro took control. My sister reads an eclectic group of books. I do the same. During
my teen and young adult years, I read every ragsheet that was printed. It ranged from very
radical to very conservative and everything in between. Much of the material was off the
wall but there were some points expressed that altered my perspective about a particular
issue.

Over the years my writing has changed. It's more to educate and encourage because both are greatly needed . During the Middle Ages, art was used to educate the masses of which only 3 or 4 percent could read. In Africa, history is expressed through oral story telling. Native-Americans did the same. Writing puts in words our thought, dreams, ideas, and perspectives. I don't believe that something written doesn't affect others because it does. Look at the ways the country is trying to limit access as to what we can read. When cities have to make budget cuts, it's always the arts that are first to go.

Writng has been a passion of mine since I was sixteen. I have written much this year; so much so that I will be putting out a chapbook or book sometime in 2011. Writers, poets, and playwrights are just as important in affecting change in our society as politicians and business. Perhaps more so because we can reach more people than business or political circles can. It doesn't matter which genre you write, we do influence people, hopefully for the better.

~Genevieve