It makes me wonder how writers are motivated to tell stories - theirs and those that are purely fictional.

There are three kinds of writers; the ones who tell their personal life stories to others, the ones who write wholly fictional stories and those who write fictional stories that were inspired by their own true accounts.

Okay, let's change the term 'writers' to 'storytellers'. On most accounts, storytellers tell stories that they created but have, in one way or another, affected their own lives. And these stories usually have a high impact on the audience, even if it's a negative one. Somehow, the words 'based on a true story' will get more credit, or perhaps critic, from reviewers.

Take 'Freedom Writers' for an example. The story of Erin Gruwell, as a dedicated teacher who pushed aside race to achieve her goal of seeing her first batch of students going somewhere in life, has inspired many others to do the same and she even started a global movement called 'The Freedom Writers'. She shared her joy of teaching with others and proved to those who looked down upon delinquents that anyone can succeed in life.

Then again, the film 'Pay It Forward' gives credit to a little boy who dreams of an ideal world where everyone helps three people and in turn, they each help another three people. Eventually, the entire world population will receive and give help at some point in their life. Yet, this story is purely fictional. Never did the five words 'based on a true story' appear before, during or even after the film. It brought me thinking: are these the dreams of the writers?

I haven't gotten any answers to that question. Do we, as flawed human beings, dream of a perfect world? Or is it just in the minds of storytellers that such idealism exists?

Come back and haunt me.