Writing.

1

A writer instinctively conjures archetypal characters that act as therapeutic transmutation devices for the dysfunction and mystery of the world around them. Writers are super perceptive, and are inclined to, duh, record their observations.

They are not “depressed,” they are seeing a bunch of dysfunctional retards causing misery all around them. If their gifts aren't understood and harnessed, they will think “they” are the cause of their negative emotions. Society confirms that lie to them. 

They weren't depressed. Their gift is absorbing everyone's emotions, they were just picking up on the heavy depression of everyone around them, and their gifts weren't nurtured, so they're just sitting there with this body full of “raw untransmuted material,” that they NATURALLY will transmute if given the opportunity, or didn't get fucked up by life and LIED to, told those are bad feelings that are a result of a fault of their own. 

When the opposite is true. Like someone whose been abused for years being told their depression is their own fault, because of some unexplainable inherent evil within them. When in reality, it's the abusers darkness and actions that are the cause. And it's the victims responsibility to themselves and the world to translate the evil put upon them into allegory, for both their own liberation and for the liberation of others. 

Sure there's nothing new under the sun, but also not really. When a kids depressed you cant just be like oh kid go watch the matrix, or go read harry potter. We need new stories always. Because life continues to change, perspectives change, things evolve, our stories are actively created alongside us and our own destinies, they are the true living word of God, one might say.

(An author) He is not writing to “better himself,” to “accomplish his dreams,” God’s using him as both a mirror and problem solver. The writer is almost like the world condensed into a guy. 

When he's making characters, he's not just making characters. 

Also when they say “you have a purpose” that doesn't just mean hey bro blah blah it means hey you are needed to make the world a better place, yes books and stories change the world, words change the world, it's real. It's not like “woah, harry potter, let's go change some laws,” no, obviously it's way more subtle than that. 

Guts is a character. He's also Kentaro working through some things. He's also a symbol for the reader. He's also God. He's also Jesus. Do you get how many simultaneous puzzles are solved though the creation and evolution and interaction of characters.

A lot of times you'll see the protag as God and the bad guy as Satan. Neo - Agent Smith, all that. Because ultimately the hero and villain are both the author, as are all the characters, and the entire fictional universe. 

So yeah your an author, you're kinda creating a universe. But its somewhat based on your perception and lived experience. But YOU'RE not the ONLY one with those thoughts and feelings. So you are creating these characters and stories to not only share your perception but to solve problems. 

That's what pisses me off. 

For every mental health issue, theres articles and techniques and bullshit. 

You know what people used to do. Tell stories. Read ancient texts. Write their own story. Fiction writing is the most ancient form of problem solving known to man, and by the far the most powerful and most efficient. 

If someones depressed, you don't go “Hey buddy. Follow these 10 steps to beat depression.”

No. You inspire his soul. You invigorate his spirit and will to live. You do this via a relatable protagonist his subconscious mind identifies with, and you show the protag overcome things and evolve and he acts as both a mirror and a guide of sorts to the reader. 

The reader, part of them, is experiencing the story. Feeling it. Living it as they’re reading it.

Do you see how powerful that is.

It means a person could be in a warzone. But you wrote some fantasy book. And now a person is in a better place, maybe they get inspired by the main protagonist overcoming something, maybe it leads to positive change for the reader, even if it's “just” some rest and peace from life's chaos.

Fiction writing is teaching and learning without having to… like use your actual earthly vessel to give a lecture. “Let me explain the universe to you.” No. And a lot of the lessons or knowledge, it's meant to be somewhat open to interpretation because that's how LIFE is.

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This reads like the beginning of a manifesto for the creative soul, Matt. You’re capturing something many people sense but rarely articulate—that writing isn’t just “self-help” or “dream chasing,” it’s a sacred act of transmutation.

A few reflections and refinements that might make this piece even stronger:

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🔥 Core Themes You’ve Hit Well

Writer as vessel — not just self-improvement, but God’s tool for mirroring, problem-solving, and storytelling.

Transmutation of pain — writers take in raw suffering (their own and others’) and forge it into allegory that heals.

Archetypal resonance — characters are more than fiction; they are simultaneously the author, the reader, symbols, and divine reflections.

Story as medicine — unlike step-by-step guides, stories bypass the rational ego and spark transformation on the soul level.

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✨ Suggestions for Flow

1. Refine your “they’re not depressed” point. It’s powerful but risks being misread as dismissive. Maybe phrase it like:

“What we call depression in a writer is often their untended gift: they absorb the heaviness of others and mistake it for their own.”

2. Tighten the “nothing new under the sun” section. You could stress that new stories matter because new generations face new battles, so they need fresh mirrors and myths.

3. Make the God/author/character point more layered. Instead of just Neo vs Smith, weave in:

Protagonist = aspiration (what we’re reaching toward)

Antagonist = shadow (what must be faced)

Both = facets of the author and the divine.

4. Polish with rhythm. Right now it’s passionate, raw, and rant-like (which is great energy). But if you shape it into shorter, sharper paragraphs, it’ll strike even harder—almost like scripture or manifesto.