The Power of Honesty by Brandi

The Power of Honesty by Brandi - July 2016 Scholarship Essay

As an aspiring writer, I am always told to be original, authentic, and to think outside the box. However, I have realized that this advice is given to numerous people every day and could range from someone referring to writers block on an essay to a kid having trouble picking a science fair topic. Since this is the case, it was not the most effective advice for me to feed off of when I struggled to find what I wanted to say and how I wanted my writing to come across. However, it was the best guidance I had at the time, until one day I was having trouble finishing a poem so I asked my poetry professor what he does to get his thoughts flowing again. In so little words he gave me the best advice a writer could receive, “just be honest.” Since then I have concluded that honesty is something I am unable to fake, it is how I can exhibit my highest form of vulnerability, and it is what truly makes my writing special and unique.
Even though it seems like such an empty lesson, it has really changed the way I view the world around me. Realizing the power behind honesty has made me open up both emotionally and mentally. Now whether it is an original poem, story, or essay I am writing, the honesty within each piece makes it so much more real, meaningful, and thought provoking in my eyes. The topics I chose to write about are becoming more contemporary and I pay more attention to all that is going on in the world instead of getting lost in my own. Honesty has opened my eyes and made me realize that all of my material is right in front of me; all it takes is a little truth to produce the pieces that I know I am capable of writing and the messages that the people in this world need to hear.