Using the Power of the Pen

Using the 'Power of the Pen' provides opportunities to think about the purpose and power of writing. As you learn from accomplished writers of various backgrounds, reflect on your own purposes for writing and begin to think about the process of using your unique identities and voices to inform what you’d like to communicate to an audience. Start by listing your favorite movies, music, and/or shows. Once you have listed these items, you will choose one movie/song/show to discuss in small groups. You can discuss why you chose the movie/song/show and the impact it has made on you. You can also discuss the author's purpose for creating the movie/music/show. This will support you in thinking about the people who create your favorite media and WHY they create. What impact are these authors hoping to have on their audiences? What messages are they hoping to resonate with their audiences? Why do these authors create? What motivates them?

Why Writing?

What made you want to write?

We asked writers to talk about why they became a writer, whether it was something in their childhood or they came to it later in life. You may be surprised, as we were, by the differences in the answers.