Why is Writing Important?
The evolution of human interaction necessitated the creation of effective forms of communication. Initially, such communication was verbal, but as human interactions evolved, a system to accurately record transactions and other data became essential. Ultimately, this led to the formation of a writing system that documented historical events and created ledgers and legally binding agreements; eventually the arts and sciences were born.
The rise of writing might have been partially prompted by the limitations of speech. The instantaneous nature of verbal communication makes it a convenient form of interaction, but it can be ineffective. All of us have undoubtedly experienced what it’s like to participate in discussions where we struggle to effectively communicate our ideas; we are not afforded the time to choose the words that allow us to effectively convey our interesting ideas. Individual passions, beliefs, and other confounders can further derail efforts to communicate verbally, ultimately leading to misinterpretation, frustration, and, eventually, an impasse.
In contrast, writing down our thoughts provides a medium that allows us to properly structure our sentences whilst more carefully choosing our words, removing the potential for ambiguity and misinterpretation. It also affords us the ability to review and edit our thoughts, arriving at a more cohesive, balanced, and clear representation of our ideas. This type of editing is not as readily amenable to verbal communication, as there is no reliable way to record spoken ideas, and such ambiguity often leads to arguments between participants as to what was actually said and by whom. Ultimately, the exchange of well-worded ideas presented in proper written form can save time by minimizing the elements that lead to misinterpretation and unnecessary conflict.
Properly structuring our thoughts in written format also affords us the time for reflection, which, in turn, can lead to a more balanced expression of ideas devoid of confounding emotions, passions, and biases. Additionally, writing allows us to improve our vocabulary and sentence structure, making us more effective communicators. Using appropriate language and expressing ideas in a clear and well-structured manner will ensure that the intended audience will consider the communication more seriously and provide more useful feedback.
Taking the time to put down our thoughts in writing can also be therapeutic and facilitate the achievement of goals. For example, writing down true feelings can help alleviate negative emotions, such as anger, or accentuate positive emotions, such as excitement. In art, such expressive writings have led to the creation of poetry, music, and novels, to name a few. Similarly, in science, writing has allowed for the exchange of knowledge, leading to further advancements and the creation of efficient tools for education, such as textbooks. Indeed, the sharing and progression of arts and science would have been greatly impeded without the ability for ideas to be written down, printed, and distributed. The demand for this distribution led to the development of the printing press and, eventually, to today’s computers.
Learning to write effectively provides us with a truly powerful skill at our fingertips, echoing the renowned saying “The pen is mightier than the sword.” As with all acquired skills, proper education is necessary to maximize its potential. Once the skill of writing has been optimized, the joy of its use will supplant people’s view of it as a labor.