Why Everyone Should Write

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Whether you think you’re good at writing or not – writing is good for you.

Why?

Because

…even if you just write a diary, even if you just jot down notes, even if you just amass written words that voice your views on a certain subject…

1. it gets the murkiness of rambling thoughts and feelings out of your head so you can have clarity of mind and soul. Still the swirl of ideas, quieten the voices – free yourself by releasing what’s bundled up inside.

2. it’s the only time you’ll have undivided attention – the empty page has absolutely nowhere else to go.

3. it gives you a creative outlet, setting your creative vibes free. This gives you experience at directing your creativity efficiently, so when you need to generate some creative notions, you don’t get overwhelmed by them. Scientists have proven that those who write have a 99% better chance at not imploding when exposed to creative sparks.

4. expressing yourself in words helps you to become a better linguist, and so helps when communicating with people off the page. It trains your thought processes and gives you the confidence of expression.

4. it enables you to process past experiences, digest what happened and analyse alternative options that might have been available to you at the time. Next time one of those options might come in handy.

5. it improves your relationships. So you’ve had a bad day, everyone’s been at you, but before you get home you write it all down. Now you’re calmer and have already had a rant. So when you next see your partner/flatmate/parents, they don’t cop the full rant, only a summary of one. Everyone is happier.

6. it helps you appreciate the joy of writing, and how tricky it is expressing yourself eloquently and with meaning through words, such that it fosters a greater appreciation of books.

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7. in writing you get to meet the real you, raw and exposed. If you don’t like what you see, you can use writing as a mechanism for change.

8. it takes you on a literary adventure. When you start to write, who knows where you’ll end up. Create worlds and destroy them, imagine people and kill them, live other lives, make imaginary friends – anything could happen.

9. it helps you live longer. Those who write live for 50% longer than those who don’t. It’s something to do with keeping your grey matter active.

10. all the best people write. Don’t you want to be one of them? He he…

What other benefits can you think to add to this list?

Zena Shapter

Zena Shapter writes from a castle in a flying city hidden by a thundercloud, reaching across age and genre into the heart of storytelling. A multi-award-winning author of speculative and contemporary fiction, she teaches writing at festivals, libraries and schools, judges various literary awards, mentors and edits other writers, and encourages everyone to value the importance of creativity. She loves movies, frogs, chocolate, and potatoes, though not at the same time!

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