I believe that every writer has to ask themselves, "Why do I want to be a journalist?" What pulls me back to my computer? What gives me this itch to express myself and share my ideas with the world to put my thoughts into words on a screen? But it's way more than that.

You feel that way because you have an extraordinary mind filled with many unique ideas and ideals. That's what makes a writer, a person who is not afraid to speak, who will not stay quiet, who will say what they think and feel with no fear.

So let me ask you again, why do you want to write? For me personally, I have so many ideas, but sometimes I can't get myself to speak because of this fear. Yet when I write, I'm no longer afraid to say what I want to say, and I truly feel like that's a beautiful thing that can't be replaced. So if you have that, you have to cherish it.

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1. Writing Gives You a Voice

I want everyone to know that when writers write, their words mean something, that they hold value and power, and when I write, I feel that my writing gives me a voice, a voice I push down sometimes because of my fear and anxiety. Writing has really helped me with my fear. I'm no longer as afraid of speaking.

I know the world could be a cruel place sometimes, but that's life; there is the good and there is the bad. All you've got to do is stay on the good side. Don't be afraid to talk and express your ideas, because your voice matters, your voice has power.

Anxiety is an emotion just like any other; everyone feels it, it's not only you. What's important is how you deal with it, how you fight it, and how you win. Simple, you have to find something you love, your own thing, your own community.

That's what writing is doing for me, and if you feel the same way, then write. It won't hurt anybody. Giving yourself power will not take something from anyone else. If it makes you happy, then do it, because your happiness is the most important thing.

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2. Writing Helps You Understand Yourself

When you write, you express yourself and put your entire mind and soul into what you’re doing and what you’re saying. So, when you look at your own or someone else’s writing, you can see what kind of person they are, if they’re sad, mad, happy, or proud. Writing shows people who you are and how you were feeling when you wrote that specific paragraph.

And if you look at your writing and analyze it, you can even understand yourself. That feeling, when you find out who you really are as a person and your personality, that’s when you start to love yourself and the things you do. That’s another reason why I like to write, because it teaches me more about myself.

3. Writing Connects You With Others

Through your writing, people connect with your thoughts, your ideas, your sorrow, your joy, and you as a person. It builds a sense of community, love, and passion for a very beautiful art of expression. Every story has someone waiting to read it; it is destined for someone to connect with it and to fall in love with someone’s writing.

We are all writers. We all have ideas and thoughts that matter and mean the world, ideals that make the world a better place. We all have different ways of expressing ourselves, and that’s why we should protect each other, to make sure everyone has the right to express themselves.

Isn’t that what true community means? To stand up for one another, to love each other. As we are all on this earth, we will stay here until our last breath, so why don’t we have a sense of community, empathy, and love for one another?

Why are wars a thing when they are so hopeless? The world can be so mean sometimes and unfair. So, find a corner in this world where you are safe, with people you really connect with, and choose happiness instead of sorrow.

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4. Writing Can Inspire Change

A lot of teens are scared of change, and that’s perfectly normal, but change can also be something extraordinarily beautiful. The way a writer can influence opinions and speak the truth about real issues that actually matter, writers have power. Their words change minds and open many doors.

Journalism has the power to change how someone sees, feels, and thinks about something. Their pen holds power. They write, we write, with dignity, to build a better world with our words.

We are the real heroes of our time, seeking truth and honesty. Words have the power to flip the entire world upside down. So, to all my fellow writers, when someone tells you that you’re powerless, they are only afraid of your true greatness.

5. Writing Is Freedom

When you hold the power to write whatever you want, you have this sense of freedom; it’s an amazing feeling. You’re free to think and imagine, to build new worlds or tell your truth, to have control over your story, and to shape it however you like. Writing lets me be whoever I want to be, to be unapologetically honest and brave. That’s true beauty, having the power and freedom to say what you want to say.

Don’t hide, because you have the freedom to rise and be who you are. I swear, there will always be a community of people just like you, waiting for your arrival. Writing connects us all; we are all one.

We are all different, yet we are also so similar, and that’s true beauty. You have freedom, so don’t waste it. Say what you want to say, and don’t be afraid.