What is writing? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of writing is, “The act or process of one who writes.”
Why do people write? It’s a simple question with multiple answers. Everyone writes, be it through an email, blogging, or texting friends. But the true act of writing something down with a pen or writing something other than a homework assignment is almost becoming a lost art form.
Science has shown that writing has a great deal of benefits and can improve your overall health, including reducing stress. In 2005, a study was conducted where researchers discovered that writing 15 to 20 minutes for four months can make a huge difference.
The act of expressive writing helps people reevaluate their lives. It has been shown that writing can change the course of history. For instance, a young girl by the name of Anne Frank wrote in a small diary as she and her family hid from the Nazis. She offered a glimpse into the world that was falling apart around her, but also of her optimism for both humanity and her own life. Even after her death, Anne Frank’s writing has made an impact. Her diary has stood the test of time. Ernest Hemingway also experienced war on the frontlines during World War I. He took to writing A Farewell to Arms, a classic testament to love and war among his other novels. He once said, “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”
Philip Lane, the head of the English Department at Wolfson Campus, said, “Writing has allowed me to learn more about myself and the world around me. It is more than just a set of skills, it is a way of thinking, feeling and seeing.”
Zayra Morales Rodriguez, the studio coordinator at the ACCESS department at Wolfson, holds a similar view: “Writing unlocks endless possibilities to communicate our thoughts with different people. Also is a huge responsibility when you share it.”
Personally, writing has been a saving grace. Going through grief because of difficult losses, I tried to make sense of the sorrow that had engulfed my life. Writing became my salvation as I spent hours typing and crying, laughing and remembering. With each word and each page I wrote, I followed in the footsteps of Anne Frank and Ernest Hemingway, as well as countless others.
In the act of writing, one regains a sense of humanity. To experience the world around them. To look within themselves and create something meaningful for the world. You don’t have to be a famous author to express your thoughts and stories. All you have to do is sit down and write.
