Why is Writing Important?

Once again, I'm sorry for the delay in the postings. I know that everyone got used to reading my posts once a day, five days a week. Over the past month, however, I've been followed by a dark cloud of viruses that have rained down their sickness upon me. At first, it was pink eye, then I had the flu, and then, this past week, I had strep throat. I've never had pink eye or strep throat in my life! Strep throat is the worst of them all. I had a fever that was unbelievable: 103.4. Thank goodness Sherry got me to the doctor when she did. A few more decimal points up the thermometer, and I would have been in serious trouble. So, it's been a difficult week. And, to think, I went most of the past two years without a bug. Hopefully, it all happens in "threes," and I'm done with all this stuff.

So, today, I'd like to talk about writing. When I taught college composition, I had many wonderful students. Several of them told me they went on to get their degrees in English because of me. That was an awesome feeling. To think that I had an impact on motivating young minds to make those decisions is incredible. But, beyond those select few who really loved writing and listened, most students came into class grumbling about why they needed to learn to write. After all, many were majoring in the sciences, math, or engineering, and they just couldn't connect to the concept that writing would still be an important component of their professional lives.

I wasn't trying to make poets out of these kids. I had to introduce them to the basics, and I had to ensure that they had a grasp of the basic argumentative essay. They had to write coherently, do their research, and to write correctly -- all, as I told them, so the reader could understand what they were writing about. It was all part of the new "Writing Across the Curriculum" program unveiled throughout universities across the United States. There was a growing concern that college graduates were leaving the educational system without the ability to communicate.

Just like I told my students, if you cannot write well, people will judge your intelligence by your words. I also told them that they would have to write reports, briefs, documents, etc., to give to their managers, and it didn't matter what field they were in. Think about your daily job: do you have to write to other people? Do you have to send emails to colleagues, bosses, or customers? Do you have to write promotional material or white sheets for projects that you are working on? Do you have to provide status reports? On a personal level, we all write emails and letters to friends. We write letters to businesses that we are dissatisfied with, and we all have the occasional letter that we're asked to write for someone. In fact, these days, you can't get a loan unless you write a letter of need to the bank. And if you're starting a business, you have to write a solid business plan. So, tell me, is writing important?

Yes it is! Take the above examples. If you write so poorly that you come across as an ignorant person, do you think that your managers or customers are going to respect you? Are they going to promote you or do business with you? Probably not. Instead, they're going to mock you, call friends over and have them read it while having a good laugh. If you own your own business, and you're writing promotional materials for your products, and it's so bad that the reader can't even understand the point of it, do you think the reader is going to be motivated to buy that product? No way. In fact, those customers will either be annoyed or irritated at the material and vow to never do business with you. They'll judge your products and your authority in your field based upon the information you give them. That's just the way it is.

The best thing a person can do to enhance their career, build their business, or survive in the real world is to learn to write effectively. Believe me, it is a necessity. I'm not saying that you have to be a Faulkner or Hemingway, but, by all means, learn how to develop a coherent thought and write it in a coherent way so your readers understand what you're saying. Learn how to use the dictionary or the spell/grammar checker on the computer. Learn how to write sentences that are clear, focused, and relevant. Otherwise, you're not going to get that promotion, nor will you get new business.

This is why composition classes are required for all freshman today, and many other curriculums are requiring advanced writing classes that specialize in the type of writing students will do in their selected fields. This all came about after the Modern Language Association sent surveys to business owners and executives at large corporations. These leaders agreed that the number one issue in the workplace was a failure through communication, and poor writing was a general concern, especially for companies in engineering, medical, and technology fields. Not only does it cost time in project development, but it costs in errors that should never have been made, and it costs lives in medical settings.

It may have taken many years to discover this, but what is a great idea or innovation if the person who designed it can't explain it to other people? Many companies, in the past, relied upon technical writers to take information from engineers and make it understandable to executives and customers. However, this is an expensive bridge from machine to human-understanding, and many companies are discovering the value of hiring technical people who can also write a decent paper. It is no wonder that many of these companies now require an essay along with a resume for the application.

So, as you can see, writing is important for everyone. If you know how to write, you can take all of those thoughts in your head and put them into action, whether it's for a reduction in your interest rate or to explain a project that you've been working on. The more proficient you are at writing, the better your chances are for a better life. If you cannot write, you're in trouble and are dodging bullets every day. The best thing to do is buy a writing guide and start working on your skills. You don't have to be perfect. Again, in business, the idea is to learn how to put information, an idea, or an argument, and frame it so that the reader can comprehend everything you're saying. It's really not that difficult at all, and it will be the biggest asset in your arsenal.