Writing to Change the World

I've read a lot of books on writing, but never have I read one that inspired me as much as this one. Writing to Change the World has a bold title, but one that Mary Pipher, of Reviving Ophelia fame, more than lives up to. For anyone who gravitates toward writing but is looking for a bit of direction and inspiration, I urge you to check this out. Pipher reveals her own path toward writing later in life, and gives numerous examples of authors, poets, playwrights, and others who, in various forms, used words to inspire others. She means this both in the political sense of campaigning for a cause, but also in a wider way, giving us a way to look at the world around us and see the potential for change and connection. I especially liked that, while her own liberal politics are in full effect, this is not a manifesto or a guide to writing propaganda. In fact, it's the very opposite. "Writing to connect is `change writing,' which, like good therapy, creates the conditions that allow people to be transformed. Its goal is not to evoke one particular set of ideas, feelings, and actions, but rather to foster awareness and growth," Pipher writes. Through this lens, I was able to see the power of nuance, of not necessarily trying to know or say everything in any given piece of writing, but simply to reach readers, whether they're on "your side" or not. Pipher makes this kind of writing accessible; she's not urging you to write the next Gettysburg Address (though that gets mentioned) or landmark social history, but to write something that feeds the world, and your soul. She also gives concrete advice about how to choose details to illustrate your points, how to be concise, and when/where you'll have the most impact (such as contrasting her letter with a friend's letter written to a board to save a local prairie from being turned into a motocross track). Without overdoing it, Pipher brings her therapist training to work here. The very concept of "change writing," is, as she points out, daunting and difficult, but as she also points out, very worthwhile. When she write at the end, "The finest thing we can do in life is to grow a soul and then use it in the service of humankind," I was completely won over. These more philosophical parts of the book aren't only about writing, but when applied to the task, make perfect sense, because in order to want to change the world, you must first be aware of what is around you. Especially for those of us who often write out of duty or routine, or perhaps for whom writing has lost some of its initial magic, this book, with its many ways into the task, will get you back on track and believing in the potential for writing to, indeed, change at least a world, if not "the" world.

Writing to Change the World is divided into two sections. 1) "What We Alone Can Say" addresses why we write and how our unique experiences can give us a different perspective and voice that no one else has. This section is both inspirational and motivating. 2) "The Writing Process" gets down to the nuts and bolts. What are the most effective ways of relating to people - especially those whose opinions we are hoping to change. Pipher addresses the writing process and different genres of writing, including letters, personal essays, speeches, blogs, music and poetry. Also included is a comprehensive list of recommended reading. Mary Piphers experience as both a writer and a therapist give her insight on how words can be used to motivate change. This book was inspiring as Pipher illustrates how words have been and can be used to really make a difference in the world. I found her insights very helpful and her practical advice useful.

Pipher inspires the reader to write, not for writing's sake, but to make a difference in the world around us. She presents a thorough examination of the writing process reminding us about the perspectives and assumptions that inform the writer and those people she/he is representing in her/his writing.

I purchased this book based on the title alone. The more I read, the more I underlined, the more frequently I exclaimed "Yes, that's it." Mary Pipher's book speaks to my soul, it speaks to all of the reasons I write, it validates my firm belief in the transformative power of words. Her writing is passionate and persuasive without being preachy. Several times I put the book down and grabbed my ever-present writing notebook. As I neared the end, I slowed my reading down, re-reading sections, reluctant to be finished with a book that has become a wonderful friend.