The importance of writing:past ,present and future

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http://www.rscc.cc.tn.us/owl&writing...mportance.html

The Importance of Writing: Past Present and Future

1999, Joe Kelly, Writing Tutor
In my opinion, writing is the most important form of communication. It would appear, however, to be one of the hardest to master, for written words require thought and organization. But no matter how hard writing might appear to be, the fact that many people have written well has forever changed history, defined communication, shaped our society, honed our ability to speak, and helped to shape the future of Computer Mediated Communication

(CMC).


Writing is a primitive art form that dates back to our earliest ancestors. Many times the words were not written, but painted in picture form onto cave walls because no adopted written language had emerged. From such paintings stories materialized, as if spoken by the artist who drew them. From this emerged script--printed symbols which evolved into a language. Regardless of how the **************** was communicated, such writings give us valuable links into the past. Painted pictures tell stories of how ancient civilizations lived, what the environment was like, and how the society thrived and left a legacy that would have otherwise been lost. Written ****************s such as the Holy Bible, as well as the writings of philosophers and chroniclers, give current historians a view into our ancient roots and the powerful empires that once ruled the lands.

The ability to communicate became a crucial issue for the growth of humanity. Long before telephones, televisions and radio were dominant forms of communication, there were writers, similar to what we currently call the “press.” In addition to sharing local information, such people were vital to expanding empires to keep the motherland informed. When spoken communication was impossible, accounts of the scene at hand had to be written in order for a colony to thrive. Detailed ledgers and letters were sent back to the homelands expressing vital needs. Just a few left out or unclear words could have proven to be disastrous. From such ledgers and letters, current historians have been able to look more in depth into our past history.

As more people obtained the ability to read and write and books became more available, writing took on a less practical role. Many people began to write for entertainment purposes, resulting in novels and theatrical events. Such deeds of writing taught others to use their imaginations and express their thoughts when unable to speak them. Only through trial and error or, simply put, “practice,” could writers better express themselves or share universal themes of concern to humankind. By playing on words, authors learned how to enter a person’s imagination and leave lasting impressions in the mind long after their spoken words became silent.

When written, words leave behind a record of what was said. This is vital to modern-day society. For instance, almost all ********************************ation is vital to our judicial systems and medical fields. The ability for each person to clearly “write” what needs to be included on a chart gives an informative report to go by in the event the writer is not present. Improper ducumentation directly impacts our society. Just in these two fields alone, left out or “hazy” words could lead to loss of life or criminals escaping justice, only to cause society more pain. Such actions occur daily either by accident or by people who perhaps view writing as unimportant, thinking “it does not apply to me.” The sad reality is, however, all of us are directly affected in one way or another by such thought.

Many people think that the ability to write well leads to the ability to speak well also. Writers frequently spend countless hours of thought just to get exactly the right words onto paper. Much similar are great speakers because they consider each word before blurting out a “simple minded” answer. This is vital to how people view someone in the business world, as well as in the personal world. When undergoing a job interview or talking with a stranger, a simple minded answer could leave the individual with a poor impression. By practicing writing, a person learns proper word usage to persuade the reader to listen to them. The writer does this by using “key words” at the proper intervals. The same use of key words when spoken can help capture that perfect job, or make people view a job applicant as serious. The writing process helps to develop the skill of critical speaking.

With the advances in communications, brought about largely by computer technology, writing has become more important in shaping the future of our society. Many people and businesses now use CMC or electronic mail (e-mail) in place of the telephone and the conventional mail systems of society to communicate with others. It is with the e-mail style of communicating that each writer should be careful. Once sent, an e-mail message is no longer a personal letter. Many people can retrieve e-mail messages even though the message was not sent to them, so writers should practice caution that personal information does not enter the wrong hands. The ability to eliminate wordiness, sometimes done with symbols that represent phrases on the Internet, is important when communicating. Such abilities can easily get an individual into lots of trouble in that short responses might be too blunt and mistaken as "brushing a person off." The key to reducing the chances of this happening is careful word selection. Keywords such as “perhaps,” “maybe,” or “most” tend to leave average readers with the impression that the writer is not a know-it-all, but a concerned individual.

Businesses use formal e-mails to advertise their services. Such formal e-mails require specific detail to attract potential clients. Bad grammar and misused words make an e-mail message hard to understand and leave the impression that the company is incompetent. Such messages generally find a quick route to the recycling bin. So a person must consider the reader--in this case it could literally mean almost anyone--before sending an e-mail message. Again, the ability to write well comes into play when communicating to others.

With the many uses for writing skills, it would appear evident that people should be made aware of its importance. From such written works, we can see where our ancient civilizations started and where our current civilization is headed. Writing forever defines communication in that written words leave an account of a scene when spoken communication is not possible. ducometation informs others of what is happening and allows others to relay information. The writing process helps to hone our speaking abilities and perhaps change the way people view us. The ability of each person to write well could prove to be vital in that e-mail is becoming the primary source of communication in society. Writing should be considered of the utmost importance, and we owe a debt of gratitude to all people who are willing to better learn and understand the importance of writing. Perhaps through such peoples' abilities we can improve our society as a whole.

Joe Kelly

Instructor: Jennifer Jordan-Henley

hoping you enjoy it
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