Writing to me is an art and should looked at as such because it's full of beauty and reverence, but only when used properly. Unfortunately, I see too often what so called "writers" call craft and disregard the life that is breathed into it.
Journalism to me, for the most part, is a profession filled with individuals who are only out to get one thing--a following. TV journalists want ratings. Print journalists want readership. All I want is satisfaction. Sure, someday I want to have a NY Times Bestseller, which means I need hundreds, thousands of people to buy my book. At the same time, I'm not going to write something just because it sells. I write because I want people to know my story. To me, the lowest a writer can go is to create a piece just because it's destined to make headlines. When people decide that they're going to go after a story regardless of what the consequences are or who gets hurt in the process, that's not true craft.
I've read articles about Ebola, President Obama, tragedies across the globe, etc., and so many of them tend to feel like the author has a personal vendetta. Instead of just reporting the news, there's an accusation. Many journalists will do anything to get the latest scoop on a story and I feel very strongly about they way quite a few of them go about doing that. Sure, people need to know what's going on. Unfortunately, many fail to realize that there is a big difference between real journalism where you're simply informing the public versus the "out to get it" mentality.
What I do is quite different. It stems from real circumstances and real issues as well as my imagination. This is separate from journalism because I don't chase stories, they come to me. If I want to write about someone, I ask them for permission. I don't try to cut someone else down nor do I spin any truths. My type of writing gives me a sense of joy, which I love sharing. This is what this craft or any craft should be about -- the positive feelings inside.