By Lauren Redwood
For centuries, the publishing of any form has been used to record history and the lives of humans that lived in those periods. We write to express our own emotions, to capture the beauty and travesty around us, and to immortalize the present moment. During times such as now, it is so important to write down what is happening. It is vital to record the events of the city you live in, your country, and other countries. It is important to record the proceedings of your own life and the people in it. Whether that is journaling, novels, letters, or short stories.
This brings me to my next point, which is the beauty of immortalizing your loved ones. One of my favourite things to do is write a character based on a dear friend, a family member, or a deceased loved one. I believe that recording the heart of someone and putting them on paper as vibrant and alive characters is the most genuine love letter that I can write. I have this urgency to write what is happening, to write about those I loved or love, and to capture their souls in stories that never die. So that someone else one day may find solace in their hearts as well.
I wonder how many characters in the books that we hold closely are inspired by friends in the author’s life. And how many human connections have we made without even knowing it? The art of writing and publishing is connection after all. The publishing industry would not be what it is without its community that blossoms. And if we take this one step further, consider the outreach of readers and how books have forged friendships, aided in mental health, and recorded lives from history one wouldn’t have seen.
In a world filled with much tragedy and joy, we must ensure that our history is recorded. And we must continue to write heartfelt characters and stories to also assure that humanity still exists in the midst of all the violence and negativity we see on the news. Our writing is immortal and what we create will live beyond us, affecting lives beyond us. It is a slightly overwhelming prospect to think about our writings and their place in the future, but it is also beautiful that we get the privilege of adding our words to the millions of voices in history.
Forest Floor is filled with stories and poems crafted from the hard work and golden hearts of the members of Writers in Trees. These pieces have been poured over with careful eyes and love, tugged and pulled, prodded and mended. It is an amalgamation of our corner in this world.
Lauren Redwood is a fantasy writer and poet. She has poetry published in the Dot Dot Journal, the Collecting Dust anthology; the B222 journal; The Publishing Desk magazine; and the Inscape: An Anthology. Lauren is also the 2024 National Champion in the 200m in wheelchair racing. She loves to crochet and read too many books at once.
The views and opinions expressed in blog posts are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of all WiT members.
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