Hello writers and friends. We've discussed creating a message and elevating that message. Now let's focus on the why. Think about the natural world. In the wild, the five senses are fully realized and used in order to survive. This is how things are communicated. Not through words, but through action. You can see disease in a plant by the turning of color or wilting of leaves. You can hear an animal by the sound of its weight traversing the terrain or their call. You can smell the damp earth as it announces the approach of a thunderstorm. You can taste the fresh juice of a berry. This is nature's impact.
Next, we have language. Humans developed a system of words, organization, and classification of thought to communicate ideas and emotions. We create sounds that define letters of an alphabet. We use letters to create and define words. Then words, when placed in a certain order, define a narrative. This is the writer's impact. Words and mechanisms used to communicate thought and ideas. Let's unpack it a little more.
Where did the office of the writer begin? You can trace the origins to Mesopotamia and pictographs. These ancient writers, or scribes, used clay tablets to document legal and religious proceedings. These scribes were expert students of various languages that memorized multiple symbols and texts in order to perform their duties. They helped officials create legal documents for property and marriage.
Writing is vital to society. It records an account. Whether fictional or nonfictional. As a writer, you must understand the privilege you have to know language and communicate your ideas through words. It is what separates us from the wild. Language isn't simply pasted letters on a screen. It is an art form. It is system that has developed over thousands of years. With an abundance of information at our fingertips, we do well to reflect on how language and its tools have drastically changed. We no longer use clay tablets. The time spent reading and memorizing text is now time spent clicking and scrolling. Writing and how we use it has changed. However, the impact is the same. Writers record an account. What will yours be?
Consider: What makes you a writer? What thoughts and ideas do you share?
Conversation: What does writing mean to you?