Writing to Change the World

by Mary Pipher

Integrating practical instruction with inspiration and reflections, the author of Reviving Ophelia explains how to convey a meaningful message through one's writing, describing the various steps in the writing process--from brainstorming to publishing--as well as the various forms of advocacy writing and practical how-to-advice. 50,000 first printing.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Social Justice, Psychology, Essays, Education, Memoir

236 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Mary Elizabeth Pipher, also known as Mary Bray Pipher, is an American clinical psychologist and author, most recently of Women Rowing North, a book on aging gracefully. Prior to that, she wrote The Green Boat, which was published by Riverhead Books in June 2013.

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought a copy of this book when I was approaching a daunting writing project. Having read Pipher's "Reviving Ophelia", I knew she would have something profound to share. I was right, and instead of trying to sum it up myself, I will use her words:

'With connection comes responsibility...Writers help readers construct larger, more expansive frames of reference so that more of the world can be more accurately perceived...Our goal as writers is to convey to readers the greatest meaning with the most precise images and the fewest words.'

Sound easy enough?

[megHan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was absolutely amazed with this book. It is actually one of the best books I have written on writing. She is very passionate about the subject and gives you lots of information. I fully recommend this to any person who wants to write and carries around a soapbox in their purse/on their person. (That's my thing - I have a soapbox and I'm not afraid to pull it out and use it haha.)

Towards the end of the book, she says the following (I think it speaks volumes):

"The finest thing we can do in life is to grow a soul and then use it in the service of humankind. Writers foster the growth of readers' souls, and the best soil for growth is love. Writing can be love made visible. In the end, one of our best ways to truly change readers is to love them. We can create a world in which those who know teach those who wish to learn. We writers may not live to see the changes that we work for, but readers will enjoy the shade of the trees we have planted."

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very lovely, like the embrace of a trusted friend. There is a lot of gentle, beginning-writer guidance and I was expecting more of a call to action, more examples of change-specific writing; perhaps less instructional and more motivational. But, there are beautiful words of encouragement and inspiration. A reference to return to when it seems change is too hard to come by.

[Romanticizing Life · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5
I liked this book but its mid. Its about why and how to write which I find interesting. There are some good tips that ill hold onto but it does get repatative. This book was assigned for school reading and it felt like assigned school reading.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

My creative writing teacher assigned my class to read a "developing style" book this semester and gave us a list to pick from. Dr. Pipher's book was on that list. It immediately appealed to the anime fanatic in me with its grand title, reminding me of "Death Note" (although what Yagami Raito wrote changed the world in an entirely different way). I had also recently written an essay to apply for a scholarship; in it, I explained what I hoped to accomplish from writing. I ended the essay with these sentences: "I might not be able to reach the entire population with my writing nor reach anyone in my own time. But, if I were to help someone somewhere live a fuller life, I feel my own life would be complete." So, to see a book that would explain to me just how to do this... the choice was obvious.

I have not a single criticism for Dr. Pipher's work. It was both humbling and encouraging, instructive and explorative, loving and critical. She linked her advice to her own life and the experiences of others, showing that all great change writers start somewhere. I couldn't help but think, when she described her own doubts about writing, "That's me. She's talking about me." This gave me so much hope for the future of my writing career. It dismantled my idea that only best-sellers are important; I don't have to kill myself striving to be at that level. I should not be the most important part of my writing. I just have to write about something important.

Her book was wonderfully fresh. It incorporated many of the issues of today, from global warming to same-sex marriages, 9/11 to Hurricane Katrina, too much TV in the lives of children to the moral state of the USA. Although she criticized the prevalence of technology in our world today, she never ceased her hopeful words and wrote a chapter about how internet bloggers can incite change. To every dark, Dr. Pipher proved that there is a light.

I'm almost happy to say that I had a hard time staying put and reading this. I kept becoming distracted because I was that encouraged to grab my laptop and start writing.

I would also like to thank Dr. Pipher for the quotes in her book and the recommended reading she included at the back. I was glad to see where her ideas came from and hope that I can too read these authors that have changed the world.

This book has surely changed the way that I view myself, others, and my writing. I have been writing so many dark and meaningless poems and stories lately that I forgot what humans really need to keep living, to keep fighting for a better future. Love. Hope. Connection. By reading this, I have been given something to strive for and a way to strive for it.

Whether you are a fledgling writer like myself or a well-seasoned one, I'm sure it will always be good to be reminded of those three values. This book is dog-eared, highlighted, and going on my shelf to be devoured again every time I fall into a writing slump and lose my light.

[Joe Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The seemingly over-ambitious title put me off at first.

But.

I was pleasantly surprised to find how humble the voice was in Pipher's book. It's very unassuming and quiet in how it tells us that it's possible to change the world without writing a best-seller, without being Dan Brown. Which is nice. Given that many of us aspiring writers see those twenty or thirty big names and are totally and completely intimidated by them. Thinking we'll never be there. Etc.

It was a little too light for me, though. A bit too much about the up up up and not enough about its relationship with the down down down, if you catch my drift. Because, while writing is a positive thing, sure, it's also a terrible thing. We're exposing our soul to the light, yes, but also to the rain, and the steel, and the thunder of the world.

It helped me, for sure. It showed me that it's possible to be important as a writer, yes.

But it kind of annoyed me all the way throughout, too.

[Gail · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mixed feelings about this book. There are chapters - primarily in the beginning and at the end -- that were inspiring and helpful. As a novice writer, I was looking for concrete guidance on how to construct non-fiction writing that was in support of change. Too much was so general that it was meaningless. Some examples she used were mediocre at best. She didn't use concrete examples to illustrate technique. And her own point of view as a therapist, really limited her ability to guide someone who doesn't share her touchy-feely approach to things. She sees writing as a form of therapy which is very distant and disengaged.

I was disappointed in this book. I forced myself to finish, hoping for some gems along the way. They were few and far between.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I lost enthusiasm for reading this one about half way through. A bit preachy.

[Jan McManus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've owned this book for years. Years. Carried it with me in vacations. Good intentions on reading it. But never did.

Until now.

When the time is right, the student comes. This book stayed in my home all these years just waiting for me and this moment.

Excellent book with wise writing advice, but most importantly, ways to write to change the world. Because, after all, it is up to us.

[Nausheena · Rating 4 out of 5]

has given me plenty of ideas to write and I've written a few pieces now because of it.

[Jodi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I first read this book nine years ago, and it resonated. I chose this book to read this past semester with several of my high school students, and this time I found it dated and irrelevant, especially when reading through the lens of today's teen.

[Kelly Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an impulse buy at my local bookstore, and I'm so glad I own it because I plan to read it again one day. One of my main motivations for writing is summed up by this quip: Books change people, people change the world. So I really enjoyed looking at writing from that point of view throughout this book.

Here are a few of my favorite parts of the book:
* Whereas writers of propaganda encourage readers to accept certain answers, writers who want to transform their readers encourage the asking of questions. Propaganda invites passive agreement; change writing invites original thought, openheartedness, and engagement.
* In the upside-down world of America today, our culture's dysfunctional message is that healthy people accept the world as it is. We are taught that problems are pervasive and insolvable, and that we are powerless. Also, we hear that only radical nuts or quixotic fuzzybrains work for social or political change. Yet powerlessness produces despair in people and stagnation in cultures. Throughout history, it has been the strong people who have endeavored to make their communities better. Healthy people act.
* Compassion and acceptance, especially self-forgiveness, open up thinking and allow for growth.
* We are more likable narrators if we present ourselves as curious students rather than as smug experts. Humility is appealing.
* Only by facing our own grief fully can we do the work necessary to alleviate the world's grief.

[Becka the Book Girl · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the readers and writers I know agree that words are powerful tools, and that they can, indeed, bring about great changes in individual lives, communities, and entire cultures. However, wielding words effectively is a skill that even those with a natural gift for writing may fine-tune and improve with guidance and feedback from their peers.

Writer/therapist/activist Mary Pipher offers clear and practical advice for discerning appropriate forms and tones of writing to convey information, communicate ideas, and convince readers of the truth and importance of the issues being discussed. She shares insights from her broad range of personal experience, from counseling troubled adolescent girls, to working to preserve an unspoiled prairie, to helping immigrants adapt to American life; giving examples of techniques that achieved their goals, as well as approaches that failed. She also addresses adapting written words to effective speeches, the particular power of poetry and music, and the potential ramifications – both positive and negative – of instant electronic self-publication.

While some of Pipher’s tips are geared specifically toward writing as an activist, most are applicable to most types of writing, and seasoned professionals as well as novices may find something of value to glean from this book.

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a such a gifted writer, Mary Pipher's title sure is trite. I initially bought this book for its high recommendations from the critics circle, and for being a cheapie remainder through Amazon. Luckily, within a few chapters, I was relieved to discover that you can't always just a book by it's cover title. Some people don't like "touchy-feely" how-to books -- and I'm certainly one of them -- yet Pipher effortlessly transcends this tired genre by delving deep into the essential human need to understand and communicate both our hopes and fears about the world in which we live.

Rather than travel well-trodden ground of style and usage -- a la Struck or White -- the best of Pipher's chapters deal with the often-ignored issue of rhetoric; that is, how best to appeal to your audience in either speech, letter, or essay. (Her chapters in the last section "Calls to Action" is proof positive that she saved the best for last.) By the close of its 226 pages, more genuine and powerful advice about our need to write has never been spoken.

[Artemisia Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writing can be a powerful way to create shifts of consciousness and effect change in a society. Mary Pipher’s books are fine examples of this whether she’s writing about peace in the world, dealing with the climate crisis or even just understanding our teenaged daughters and the real influences and issues they deal with. In this comprehensive book about writing for change, she covers many of the other forms that persuasive writing might take: inspiring speeches, passionate op-Ed’s, letters to public officials or to newspapers, personal essays, and even songs and poems. There is lots of great guidance here for using the right approach and just the right tone to create an opening for understanding and communication, even with those who may seem to be adversaries to your cause or position. At a time when grass roots activism is a thriving force in so many areas, Writing to Change the World is a must read for those interested in working to bring meaningful change to their communities or to the world at large.

[Melissa Kidd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book for my college English class and enjoyed it so much I finished it early. It is not a book about how to write, but on how to use writing to "change the world". As a writer myself, Pipher struck some deep chords within me. I also believe that the world is in a bad way so the idea of being able to do something about it is very appealing. I didn't think much about it before because I prefer to write fiction, but as a writer I CAN do something to make a contribution to society. Pipher has a very powerful voice, something she emphasizes as helping a piece to be more powerful, more engaging. She certainly kept me engaged. I also liked that she scattered a lot of influential quotes throughout her writing. There is a lot in here, and for me it all clicked. It is a very powerful book in my opinion and a must read for any writer.

[Līva · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book for me personally wasn't too interesting. It might be a good read for those who have no education in linguistics or other related fields and no knowledge on basic human psychology. Since I've studied those subjects and read many books, unfortunately I didn't find anything new to take away from this book. I also felt the author's writing style is too touchy-feely, and it seems that she is trying too hard. However, I did get something out of "Writing to Change the World" - some inspiration to write more. It made me remember that I actually can write quite well and miss it.

And thanks for this quote: "Get mad, yes - there's plenty to be mad about. Then get organized and get busy. This is the fight of our lives."

[Ben Charoenwong · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ideal reader: Struggling writer who gets writer's block.
Non-ideal reader: Anyone who wants to learn more about the tips / techniques of writing.

This is a collection of the author's personal stories. It isn't boring, but it does not contain much value, for the non-ideal reader such as me. While the author does warn that the book isn't actually focused on the techniques of writing, since I am the type of person who can't stop reading a book halfway, I went ahead and finished it. It was a painful process.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is indeed a good book, but its not necessarily a book for me. The analogies she includes are really great, and her overall explanation as to why we need to write is profound, but i already had a certain grasp as to why i need to write, this just added more to that grasp i had. That is why i liked it, it further improved my thoughts of writing, and encouraged me to write more often than what i actually do.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a quick and easy read with lots of good quotes, insights, and inspirations. Mary Pipher focuses on social justice and how to use writing to help promote social justice throughout your state, country, or even the world. One of my favorite quotes in the book is:

"There is a sense in which our most intimate lifelong relationship is with our own comfort zone."

I highly recommend this book if you are into social justice.

[Stephanie]

OK, I just needed to take a break from my hectic life and say I LOVE this book. A must read for writers and therapists interested in writing or journaling.
"Quiet catastrophes, without good visuals, tend to be overlooked. In our great postmodern supermarket of ideas, good writers point readers toward meaning." - Mary Pipher, Writing to Change the World

[Brianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is such a great motivation for me to write, write, write! The author, Mary Pipher, is a talented, hard-working writer and her example shows that writing can bring forth change in important ways. Every step is a step closer to change, to open up realizations, to share stories. I will keep this book on my shelf, for sure, and expect to refer back to it many times.

[Karen Floyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

"America is deeply ambivalent about its change agents. Simply put, we tend to like them after they die. To most Americans, 'radical' is a negative word, and even 'reformer' evokes our cultural uncertainty about systemic change. On the other hand, we tend to like rebels and outlaws, just so long as they don't really challenge the status quo." Mary Pipher

4/20/2017 - Coherent and to-the-point suggestions on finding your voice, writing better, doing your research, and writing to your particular audience. Clear advice from an experienced writer and speaker who also happenes to be a psychologist. Pipher urges us to fight with words for what we believe in, to not keep our mouths shut or our pens capped.

[Ann Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most inspiring books I've ever read. Pipher discusses the art of persuasive writing: how words can be used to change minds and perhaps even change the world. It's a practical and hopeful book -- the perfect guide for any writer who seeks to better the world through his/or her writing.

[Theresa Romaniec · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly, I was disappointed in this book. I was expecting more inspiring stories of how to make the world a better place by writing. Instead, Pipher focused her bitter anger on America and every single thing wrong with the country, in her opinion. If you want to change the world through writing, leave your politics aside and speak to all people, not just American liberals.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

The "I am from" writing exercise in the front of the book was very productive for my own writing projects. Her examples of writing that connected versus writing that was merely pretty informed my own approach. I only regret the lack of exercises - after "I am from" I wanted more!

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. She's a little longwinded and self-promotes a lot. Came highly recommended from someone I respect, but couldn't finish it.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great inspiration from a thoughtful writer/therapist. Thanks, Mary!

[Mark Dykeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book on writing. This writer creates excellent paragraphs - that's one thing I remember about this book. That and she has lots of great advice. Worth checking out.

[Beverly Diehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written, it will help and inspire any writer looking to do more than cash in on the "easy money" of writing.