No matter what type of books you write, your work always belongs in the history category. Not necessarily because you’re writing literal history, but because you’re making history.

What does this mean? It means that you have immense power to determine how people think, feel, and act. If you write fiction, your stories can move people to fear, anger, tears, or joy. Those emotions can change how they feel about themselves, their family and friends, and their place in the world. Those feelings can lead to action.

If you write nonfiction, your words and content can educate, inform, inspire, and motivate people. The whole purpose of nonfiction is to help people make some kind of change in their lives. Maybe that change is learning more about the past, learning how to cook, breaking an addiction, or healing their marriage.

You’re making history with your words because you’re changing people. Quite literally, whenever you write and someone reads those words, it changes them and can move them to action.

When we writers describe what we do, we often put the modifier “just” in front of our title, as in “I’m just a writer.”

Winston Churchill said, “History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.” We can take that a step further. You’re never just a writer. You’re the most powerful type of person: one who may not necessarily be writing about history, but you’re definitely making it.

Question: As a writer, how do you feel you’re making history? Why or why not?

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There are a lot of reasons people write. Some people want to build a brand. Some people want money. Some people want a creative outlet. Some people want to leave a legacy. Some people just want to prove the naysayers wrong.

All of those reasons have their place, but there is another good reason that is rarely talked about. Here is what young adult author Jon Green said:

“Don’t make stuff because you want to make money—it will never make you enough money. And don’t make stuff because you want to get famous—because you will never feel famous enough. Make gifts for people—and work hard on making those gifts in the hope that those people will notice and like the gifts.”

When you look at your writing as a gift, it puts a whole different spin on it. Instead of just making a product, you are making something that comes from the heart, something that can bless others.

Your writing can be a gift as well as a product, of course. But it must begin as a gift you are giving to the world.

Question: What gift can you give to others through your writing today?

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Then as we get older, some life experience and a bit of cynicism set in. Pretty soon we give up on the idea of changing much of anything… much less the world. 

But imagine for a moment… what if you COULD actually change the world? How would you go about it? What pathway of influence would you choose? 

Would you start a company? Go into politics? Try to become an A-list celebrity who gets a lot of press? Maybe become a professional athlete, spiritual leader, social media influencer, or something else entirely? 

All those are viable pathways to making a difference, or at least getting lots of eyeballs on you. But if you want the maximum amount of influence, there is only one surefire way to do that: become a writer. 

Every movie or TV show you see, every play, every book or article, every speech given by a president or someone else, every history book, every song you hear, every poem, every law… they are all written by someone. Writers determine the course of culture, society, and history.  

So if you want to make a true, lasting impact on the world, the very best way to do that is by writing. As the great Reformer Martin Luther said, “If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write.” 

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