Why Write?

Most of us have heard the mighty corporate-driven phrase “communication is key”, and as I see it that is the root of why we (the human race) write. Communication shares an inextricable link with community, both literally in the root of the word and in world events. It was the need for further communication that led civilizations to create systems of writing. Simple characters eventually evolved into language correlation, and from this came writing. Writing has become a central tool amongst people in the act of communicating.

How we utilize writing varies greatly in the modern age, but personally I look at written language with a kind of reverence. I value my literacy, and will likely practice being literate, with hope of improvement, for the rest of my life. As I see it, no person has a full mastery of communicating thought. Yet, in reading written language I have found myself awed by individuals who are both poignant and able to keep their word choice universal. Some people are capable of assessing the root of every word, and carefully composing a sentence so that each word conveys an important aspect that enriches the sentence. Those writers inspire me to write.

I agree with many of you on the point that writing can carry greater clarity than spoken word, and as I see it, writing also opens up many opportunities for embellishment. For instance, most of what I have written in this post is much more elaborate than the language I would use to convey the same points if I were speaking to someone on this subject in person. Though, I would likely have just as many longwinded sentences, I probably wouldn’t exercise as much of my vocabulary. Writing gives me the opportunity to evaluate and revise my thoughts before expressing them. That’s important, because a lot of what I say comes out with little forethought. I am someone you might call an impulsive talker. In writing however, I can have more tact.

I write, like almost all people, to convey thoughts and ideas. I study and practice writing to become a more skilled writer, so that my thoughts and ideas are conveyed with greater ease. I find it important that when studying the art of writing, you develop an understanding of language and composition. Unfortunately, it’s learning the structure of writing that tends to put off students, but to be able to communicate professionally a person must learn how to write properly. I assume most of us are in this course to prove that we’re proficient writers and that we understand the concept of writing (for credits that help us attain our degree), but also to improve as writers. It is improvement that motivates me to continue writing, and it is by far my central motivation in this course.