Servant Author?
I’ve started adding something to my bio lately that is important to me, but might seem a little confusing to everyone else. That’s okay. Sometimes a little confusion is good, because it gets people to ask questions. But I want to go out of my way to answer those questions now and set a tone for what I hope to do in the coming years.
How Did I Come to Call Myself a Servant Author?
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Image copyright Natalie Collins
I struggled with how I wanted to communicate my goals for this whole writing adventure, but I need to make sure I’m clear with myself now that The Outs is moving forward with publication. There’s a really deep well of thought that’s gone into this career path for me, and none of it involves ideas of fame and fortune. In fact, anyone who thinks being an author is the road to wealth and fandom really ought to start running the opposite direction, because “Here be dragons.”
Instead, my goals for this whole writing gig are, at least in my mind, a kind of service. My background is in serving and helping people. My Masters degree is in education. I spent thirteen years of my life working with teens–counseling, teaching, coaching, and mentoring–so for me, it’s always been about people.
The Power Behind a Servant Author
There is power in the written word. Words can bring whole worlds to life and crush them just as fast. Words can show the world the truth of a person, or spread the most damaging lies. And words can heal broken hearts and start a movement to bring good to the whole world.
I want to use the power of my words not because I think it will bring me something special. I want to use it because words have breathed life into me when I thought I would be broken forever. Others used their words to give me hope when I was hopeless. Words helped me see myself for what I am, and set me on the path that has led me here.
And now I want to use words in the service of other people’s lives the same. I want to serve the author community and build it up. I want to use my words as a service of encouragement for people who feel hopeless, and help them find the hope they need. I want my words to serve as guideposts marking the road I’ve been on all my life, giving guidance to others along the way.
A servant author doesn’t write for himself. A servant author writes because the words are in him, and they beg to get out so they can serve others.
I want to be a servant author.
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