Reasons Why Writing Rules
Other than the obvious, basic reasons… If you’re here, you are probably looking for motivation to become a better reader/writer, or just curious about the so-called benefits of putting your face in a book. No matter who you are, here are some reasons that everyone can relate to.
One: It expands your views
Everyone lives in a different experience. Some of us grow up with both parents, perhaps even more, while others of us don’t know either of our parents. Some of us grow up with brothers and sisters, and some of us are only children. Some of us live the fast-paced, life-is-a-highway lifestyle. Others, well they are librarians, school teachers, accountants, ect. The point is, we all live and breathe differently. Life has taught us different things that meant joy for the accountant whereas pain for the adventurer.
The awesome thing about novels and stories is that we can gain insight into these differences of perspective and open ourselves up to a story that differs entirely from our own. We get to learn something new while actively engaging our mind in a positive manner.
Two: It’s a mental work out.
I admit it: sometimes its brutal to just sit there, trying to stay focus on the silent words on the plain page in front of you. The words all blur together, your mind drifts off into random subjects, and suddenly you’ve lost your place. The trick is to remind yourself actively of what you’re ready and gently bring yourself back to the craft in front of you. It’s a fantastic way to increase your focus, patience, and attention. Plus, it slowly expands your vocabulary, and who doesn’t like to sound smart?
Three: It reveals the perspectives of others
Similar to the first point, but the difference here is that the syntax and wording matters. For example, let’s say there are two writers in a room assigned the same subject. Despite writing about the same thing, there is a fundamental difference in the way these two separate people are describing how they see the given subject. Maybe its about cats, and one of the authors has a terrible allergy to cats and therefore writes about them with a negative connotation, versus the other writer who adores cats. Their two pieces are bound to contrast! Imagine this, but on a much wider scale.
It’s all very interesting. We see the same common ideas being passed around, but given how different we all see everything in life, how differently we are raised and how our lives differ, is any story exactly the same? Is any life?
Four: It makes you more creative.
Have you ever read something that you never remotely considered to be true (or even fantastical) but once you read it, your mind surged with new ideas? Me too. The thing is, most of these ideas and imaginations I find are through the creative intelligence of someone else’s amazing words. It’s a building block: they give you this insane idea and you breathe it in, exploring it and shifting it to fit your narrative. Writing gives you the opportunity to say “what if” and ask yourself things that may have happened or may not have. What if the world was on fire? What if Earth is struck with another solar flare? What if trees didn’t exist?
It can be the most random, irrelevant or weird question you want. Write about it and explore it. Remember: there are no limitations when it comes to writing. Just sit, type, and write. Go from there. Explore yourself.
Five: Exploring yourself
Following the last sentence, writing is a great place to explore your own mind. There are so many things vying for our attention, when was the last time you set it all down and had a private moment with you and your notebook? When was the last time you asked yourself important questions like: What am I doing this for? Why do I care about x, y, z? Am I content with who I am right now?
Maybe these questions frighten you, and that’s okay. But you must not put them off forever. Writing privately about yourself is a rewarding thing to do, because you know yourself best. After all, you’ve lived with yourself all these years. Surely there must be some things you want to ask yourself, or some things you should share. Perhaps if you have one of those enlightening perspectives mentioned in point one and three, these writing sessions will boost you further than you think. This has been the case in many writers’ lives. They were just unafraid to put it all out there and let themselves be seen.
If I’m being true, there are bundles of benefits that writing offers. These are just some of the big ones that stand out in my perspective.
These lessons are things that have stood out to me for years. Maybe I always knew it was there, maybe I did not. I never would have known for certain if I had not sat in my chair and compelled myself to write something, anything, because it is time to explore. Time to explore all while not moving out of my seat… how many times are you able to do that? I challenge you to try it and find out.
