Words belong to everyone

Writing found me when most had written me off.

At school, they pinned my exam results to the board like badges of shame. They left them ungraded, forever.

The establishment had marked me as a lost cause. A “late developer,” they said, with thinly veiled disdain.

I left school with two O-levels – Politics and English, both C grades.

Hardly the makings of a writer, according to conventional wisdom. But conventional wisdom is often wrong.

You don't need to study the classics or get validation from writing institutions.

Look at the history of punk rock – raw, untamed creativity that changed music forever.

The establishment called us “medieval brigands” and “the great unwashed.” Sound familiar?

The ruling class and their sycophants want to keep the gates closed. They are privileged and entitled. They want writing to remain their exclusive domain.

But words belong to everyone!

Even with academic failure and personal issues, like addiction (now over ten years in recovery), I found my voice.

When people say you cannot write, that is the moment you should start writing.

Can't get words onto paper? Pick up your phone. Open the voice recorder. Start speaking. Your thoughts matter. Your story matters. The world needs voices that aren't polished by creative writing degrees.

Your cluttered, chaotic thoughts can become dynamite that changes minds and moves hearts.

The 'proper' way isn't the only way.

Sometimes it's the worst way.

Write your truth. Break the rules. Make your own path.

The gatekeepers don't own storytelling – we do.

Every voice deserves to be heard, especially those that others try to silence.

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