Why Write?

We live in a technology-fueled, fast-first world. Why bother with the age old practice of putting words to paper, then editing, deleting and re-writing – why bother when you can simply ask ChatGPT to write for you? Sure, it’s not at the same level, but it’s good enough…right?

Wrong.

Aside from the inability of AI writing to be more than a decent facsimile of what our human brains are capable of, utilizing your own abilities to write can bestow upon the writer wonderful effects. Expressive writing, in particular, can provide increased memory, improved self-esteem, and lower stress levels. There’s a sense of pride in slaving over the page, blinking cursor keeping time with you while you pick the perfect word, delicately layer emotion, and write, delete, and write again.

Benefits of writing for yourself aside, there is something so human about sharing a creation with others. It’s a bid for connection that can only come from the “look, I’ve made a thing that I want to share with you”. It’s a vulnerability that opens the door for that connection, which is a simple hallmark of being human. The act of creation of any kind has long been understood to improve the mental and physical well-being of the creator, and writing is no exception. Creation keeps the brain humming along, improves your cognitive ability, and supports your overall well-being. Writing is simply one of many choices of creation.

Even writing for a workplace setting for yourself carries such a sense of pride. An advertisement goes live, a blog post goes viral, your article gets published in a journal. You did that. Not a computer or an algorithm. Those are your words, your thoughts – your effort.

In a world where there are continuous options for cutting corners – write. Care for yourself and your work and put the words down. Even when they’re bad, or awkward, or need five rounds of edits. Because the more you put the words down, the more the computer living in your brain will get used to the flow of information, the thoughts of excellence, and the pride of creation.

Write.