I was reminded today of how powerful the written word can be–not just once, but twice.
The first came when I heard of the passing of a writer who had changed my life–Ray Bradbury. Fahrenheit 451 remains a life-changing book for me, and I can say nothing at this point to do justice to his memory, except to say that his work changed me, inspired me, and shaped how I live my life.
The second instance turned my day around. I have gotten good reviews before (and oh, yes, some bad ones, too.) Of course I enjoy the good ones, but I appreciate the bad ones, too. Goodreads reviewer Rose Cimarron wrote a double-edged review for Snakes, a very double-edged story.
Here’s part 1. As I said, double-edged.
What struck me about her review was that she spent almost a month ruminating over the story, and then felt compelled to write more. Here’s part 2. That, to me, is the sign that the story had a real impact, and that is what every writer lives for.