In the world we live today, the way we write changes constantly. Our thoughts are now reduced to 140 characters or less, and we think more about the captions of our pictures than what we write to one another. But what happened to old school writing, the kind of writing that authors and journalists do today? Storytelling is the key component of any writer out there, and I think we each need to start telling our own stories.
Some people find it easier to write down what they feel instead of expressing it to one another, but lately we have been losing the art of writing. We abbreviate what we want to say and keep using the same words that we use every day. There are thousands and thousands of words that go unused every single day. Languages around the world are going extinct because we want to take one single language and make it universal.
Here are a couple of words that are in danger of extinction:
Amorevolous: affectionate; loving
Boscaresque: picturesque; scenically wooded
Fabrefaction: act of fashioning or making a work of art
Murklins: in the dark
Perantique: very antique or ancient
Writing started as a way of keeping record of special occurrences and the lives of important figures, but also as the way to tell the stories of our ancestors. With so much technology, we have forgotten that we must write our own stories so that many years later, people can look back at the legacy we are leaving behind. Next time you are trying to text or write to someone, think of all the different things you could say. Use your words, because after all, they are the ones that will stand the test of time.
One of the reasons I write is because I find it relaxing—getting to put together all of the thoughts that continuously cross my mind at an unstoppable speed, getting to see them on paper allows me to develop the way I think.
I also think we can us writing to create change. The world needs many changes to achieve the ultimate goal of creating a better place for everyone. Through writing we are able to reach a larger audience and share our thoughts with like-minded individuals. In a way, we are all writing for change—we want to get other people to see the world as we do. We want to start conversations and new trends. All we want is a chance to be different.
You can approach the act of writing with nervousness, excitement, hopefulness, or even despair—the sense that you can never completely put on the page what's in your mind and heart. You can come to the act with your fists clenched and your eyes narrowed, ready to kick ass and take down names. You can come to it because you want a girl to marry you or because you want to change the world. Come to it any way but lightly. Let me say it again: you must not come lightly to the blank page. I'm not asking you to come reverently or unquestioningly; I'm not asking you to be politically correct or cast aside your sense of humor (please God you have one). This isn't a popularity contest, it's not the moral Olympics, and it's not church. But it's writing, damn it, not washing the car or putting on eyeliner. If you can take it seriously, we can do business. If you can't or won't, it's time for you to close the book and do something else. Wash the car, maybe."—Stephen King, "On Writing"
