“There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they'll take you.”
― Beatrix Potter
Writing is perplexing. The word itself has a double meaning, disguising itself as either a noun or verb. Trying to wrap your head around what exactly writing is may lead you to a dead end. That's the thing about it; writing is a simple task you may perform daily through texts and grocery lists but when given a different context such as an essay you may become weary. So why should we write more?
1. Exercise your brain
When you write, you're exercising both your frontal and parietal lobes in your brain. The frontal lobe is associated with writing and language along with many other things such as attention and organization. The parietal lobe interprets words and language. When you write, these two lobes along with other parts of the brain are exercised in ways they might not be used to. Vocabulary must be hand selected and syntax is crucial to success. Think of it as taking your brain for a jog. Though your jog is typically inside sitting in front of a computer, and really you're not moving much.
2. Get the creative juices flowing
This article may be appealing but you're probably thinking what on earth do I write about? Here' the thing; there are no rules in writing. You're free to express yourself in any way you chose. Start by jotting down your thoughts. Write about your stressful day at work or the mountain of laundry you really need to tame. Get words on your paper. Nothing is more intimidating than staring at a blank screen. Write anything that comes to mind and come back to it. That's the beauty of writing, you can always edit. First drafts are meant to be messy and rough around the edges. Earnest Hemingway says, "The first draft of anything is shit". See? Even respected authors can admit that they start from only a rough idea but once your thoughts are down, the possibilities are endless.
3. Broaden your horizons
There are endless genres out there; humor, romance, horror or even obscure ones such as flarf, hard-boiled or bildungsroman (I swear I didn't make those up). Learn about these different styles of writing and pick ones that seem interesting. Experiment and play around with these genres, becoming familiar with the makeup while learning something new. Along with this, writing opens many doors of broadening your vocabulary. Impress your friends by dropping an unnecessarily large word into a conversation. Though reactions may very, you may impress them or earn a punch in the arm in annoyance.
4. Take pride in your work
Once you finish writing a piece, you may be overcome with an intense wave of self-satisfaction. Even if you've written a 250-word poem about the color mauve, completing the writing process is incredibly rewarding. You may be ashamed that you wrote a 250-word poem about the color mauve but you'll be so proud you've finished it won't matter the subject. Whether you share your work or keep it to yourself, you may find yourself going back to look at it, again and again, knowing that you've created this piece. It's practically your child and you're that obnoxious mom at soccer games who drives a minivan.
5. Learn about yourself
You may even learn something new about yourself. Maybe you really love to write but have never given yourself the chance. Maybe you're destined to be a best-selling author. Or maybe you'll just find your voice. For instance, I've learned that I'm stronger through my words on a screen than I am through words spoken aloud. I've learned a lot about myself as not only a writer but a thinker through years of academic and personal writing. Writing is a creative outlet for me where I can get my feelings out or I can create a plot to escape for a little bit. Writing may feel the same to you or you may find your own place in the world of writing. Writing is all about expressing yourself.
Find some time to sit down and open a word document or a blank sheet of paper and just write. Write about your day, write about your hopes and dreams or create a fictional story; put words on paper. There are too many benefits not to write. Writing is such a special experience for me, I want to share my experience with the world in hopes that they can feel the same way. Everyone has something to say and in 2017 I challenge you to find your story and challenge yourself to write.
