The Purpose of Writing

Many people write to influence others.

While all writing may be at least somewhat influential, that’s not my primary goal. Most often, I write to understand myself.

Writing is a form of thinking. If we’re not able to clearly communicate our ideas to others, it’s unlikely that we clearly understand them ourselves. The act of writing forces us to organize our thoughts.

This is true whether we’re writing fiction or non-fiction.

For a reader to connect with a fictional story, it must be crafted to take the reader on an emotional journey. Stories help us make sense of the world because they resonate on an emotional level. They provide context for the ideas expressed.

Non-fiction is often most convincing when it includes stories that tug at our hearts. This is seen in public debates. Politicians have learned that citing facts and statistics is often not enough to move their audiences. A logical argument becomes more effective when people feel it to be relevant to their personal lives.

It’s not unusual for me to forget a dream when I’m fully awake. However, if I write down a few details when I’m still groggy, I’m much more likely to be able to remember the dream later. The act of writing opens up the dream to my conscious mind.

While we can outsource many tasks to AI, I don’t think most of us want to outsource our thinking. That’s a compelling reason why reading and writing should continue to be taught in our schools.

Writing helps us to be more conscious in our lives!