#170 MLW: Writing is Magic

In my last post, I told you my thoughts about Writers being disrespected, and in this one I will take the time to explain why Writings and writers are more important than you thought.  First of all let me ask you this.

Do you believe in magic?

According to Wikipedia

Magic is the art of producing a desired effect or result through the use of incantation, ceremony, ritual, the casting of spells or various other techniques that presumably assure human control of supernatural agencies or the forces of nature.

The art of producing a desired fact.  Hmmm?  Writing actually does that.  Sports doesn't do it, but writing does.  How so you might be asking?

Writers created a desired effect from nothingness, literally pulling ideas from the ether and turning them into a physical manifestation i.e. a book, a movie, etc.

Writers are able to make something that physically does not exist into something that does.  We are capable of producing a desired effect through the result of incantation (written words).  Maybe we can't summon the dead, make a fireball in our hands or fly on a broomstick, but we can produce stories that invoke real emotions, or change lives.

Writing is one of the few methods that can both improve human life or destroy it.  I'm not just talking about writing fiction.  I'm talking about all types of writing.

Works of writing such as the Bible inspire great faith and love. Works such as Mein Kampf can inspire a movement of racial intolerance and help send the war to war.  Words are powerful like that, and writers are the ones responsible for their delivery.

Ever read a textbook that helped you learn something like math or chemistry?

Someone had to write that in a way you could understand.

Ever watch a movie?

Someone had to write the script for that movie, before one image could be filmed.

Ever see an advertisement that made you want to buy a product?

Someone had to design it with words before anything else could be done.

Ever play a videogame that just took up hours of your time due to it's awesome storyline?

A writer at some point wrote the story for that.

Writers can do the greatest magic in our living world.  A writer can influence and control the human mind.  A writer can design an entire universe and take you there.

A writer can put you in the mind of someone else other than yourself and live through their eyes.

Few other fields can have that effect.

Is writing a form of magic?  If the desired effect achieved; than yes...

And I am a wizard..

My staff is a pen or keyboard and my spells are the words.

Want proof?

Stan Lee

Steve Ditko

Fifty years ago, two men created a very special character.

Through the magic of creativity it became very popular.  Television shows, movies, videogames, toys.

Those are the physical manifestation of that process.  They literally create something from nothing.  The toy for example; did not exist until it's character was designed.  While there was great artistic effort applied on the side of the artist, it was a collaboration of two great wizards, that created one of the most well known characters in the entire world.

Here is another one.  Created strictly by a writer and has affected many lives over the course of a decade.

Do you know this kid?  He was created by a writer.

Is writing magic?  Young Mr. Potter would say Yes.