"Death, however, was neither simple nor lightly brushed aside when it struck home. Jethro frowned. He didn't like to think of his sister Mary's death, but some memory had been touched off as his thoughts wandered […] He had not forgotten though. He'd been only seven that winter of '59, but the memory of the tragedy would always be sharp and terrible in his mind."
Quote from Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt
Words are a powerful thing. A well written story can make you laugh, can make you cry, and can transport you to new worlds that exist only in your mind.
Across Five Aprils is a book that means a lot to me. I first read this story when I was a child. Now at the age of 32, I still reread this book and it's story still effects me emotionally. I feel sad reading about Mary's death even though she had died long before the story started and was only a character mentioned briefly. In my mind, the vivid descriptions in the book, transport me to Civil War era society in the United States where I become the main character and experience everything he experiences.
That's the signal of a good story...people being impacted by the words of the story and remembering it years later. A well written book can change someone's life, ways of thinking about the world, and can resonate years into the future.
When you write something, it is important to be conscientious about the words and sentences you write. Take your time, edit your work, and let others read your words to give you feedback to help you better how you write. I'm sure many of the books we consider classics today were written by authors who had no idea their work would be loved long after they had died. You never know if the words you write are going to mean so much to people that your work becomes immortal and continues to be read long after you are gone.
