Saturday Smorgasbord: There Are No Universal Words of Power

By: Christopher Bartlett

We all see various posts and memes across social media with inspiration quotes, along with lines in books and magazines that inspire us. When you look at the comment and highlights in any of them though, there are a ton of variations. It’s not because the words communicate a different message to all the readers. It is that the words affect the readers in different ways and on different ways based on their experiences.

There is no doubt that words have power, but who and how depends on the person. The best, as well as the easiest, examples of this are in musical lyrics. Some song lyrics touch us every time they come on the radio. While others are more impactful in the background of a movie or TV show.

Part of it is the choice of words and how they are used with grammar to convey a message and emotion. The other part depends on perception of the reader or listener. If both the message and emotion are conveyed clearly, then it is only a matter of how well it radiates with multiple perceptions.

Most can, with some being deeper than others. Dedication and time aid at it being easier to do, as well as helping it dive deeper with a wider audience. As writers, we are born not only with a love of words but more importantly with inspiring people. And while we may want to inspire everyone, it’s more important that we inspire at least one person deeply rather than the masses on a skin-deep level.

As readers, we find quotes and lines that inspire us each. Even more fun I find is when you have friends in the same fandom and you all sit around comparing favorite lines from the most recent book. Even if your lines don’t inspire as deeply, the joy you all share in sharing your inspiration inspires at the same time.

The good thing about inspiration is that, even when you get burnt out, you can find the spark again. It can take a bit of time, but it does come back. Remember, the writing is the easy part. Always. The hard part is editing, as I am sure you have all heard too often. But it is true.

*Tip his hat walking out the door.*

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