The following I adapted from a speech by Tom Hanks' character in the film Saving Mr. Banks:
Forgiveness is what we learn from art, from books, from
plays. The author forgives himself.
Because life is a harsh sentence to impose on one’s self, and authors
redeem themselves through writing.
The author must trust himself, must not disappoint
himself. Where there is blindness, the
author gives sight, reveals truth.
The author’s characters, especially the main character, are
precious to him. If he trusts himself,
he won’t be disappointed. And every time
anyone reads his words, they will witness characters revealed, understood, saved,
honored. They will love these characters
with the guileless trust of children.
They will weep for their cares, they will wring their hands when they
lose, and in the story’s final moments, they will rejoice in the humanity of
these characters, they will sing. For generations
to come, the author’s characters will be honored, and they, as well as the
author, as well as his audience, will be redeemed. All these characters stand for will be saved—along
with the author and his audience—not in life perhaps, but certainly in
imagination.
This is what we storytellers do. We restore order with imagination. We instill hope, again and again and again.
Artists, authors, playwrights, all, trust yourselves. Prove it to yourselves, and you will prove it
for everyone for all time. Your work is the meaning of your life, the fulfillment of
your promise to the universe.