What My Literary Heroes Taught Me about Writing: Rachel Carson

Connect to your Purpose

by Rochelle Melander

“One way to open your eyes is to ask yourself, “What if I had never seen this before? What if I knew I would never see it again?”
― Rachel Carson

Why would anyone put a fox in charge of the chicken coop? It would seem ridiculous. But it’s a great metaphor for what President Dwight D. Eisenhower did in 1953. He put a political appointee in charge of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, replacing a respected scientist.

At the time, marine scientist Rachel Carson was the editor-in-chief for all US Fish and Wildlife publications. Carson wrote a letter to the Washington Post criticizing the administration for valuing politics over environmental protection. In it, she warned that this move could destroy the natural resources so many people had been working tirelessly to protect.  (You can read Carson’s letter here.)

Carson’s sense of purpose—protecting the environment—drove her to research and write. Rachel Carson loved nature. Carson wrote multiple books on the sea, which helped people understand and appreciate this complicated ecosystem.

Although many of her books became bestsellers, Rachel Carson is best known for her book Silent Spring, which warned people about how chemicals like pesticides were damaging the natural world. Because of this work, Carson is credited with igniting the modern environmental movement.

When Carson was writing Silent Spring, she was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer. When I look back at Carson’s life and legacy, I am inspired by how her dedication to understanding and explaining the environment to readers fueled her writing.

Your turn: Why do you write? How could connecting to your purpose help you write more?

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Write Now! Coach Rochelle Melander is an author and ADHD-trained professional certified coach. She’s helped hundreds of people write and publish books. If you’re struggling to start or finish a project, connect with Rochelle to create a personalized plan for overcoming procrastination, dealing with distraction, and staying focused. Book a private consultation: https://writenowcoach.com/consultation/