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We are in an era of instant communication and connecting more; the need to be comprehensive in our writing is losing ground. SMS language, abbreviations and slang are rapidly corrupting the art of writing. Business at the speed of thought sometimes pushes us to share information without thought and editing. Writing has character and a physical form, conveying emotions far more efficiently. The written word is an art form in itself and is very personal, too. With the proliferation of electronic and print media, the handwritten word may be extinct shortly. With touch and voice pushing us to new frontiers with gadgets, we may even end up with a paperless world in some years ahead. Indeed, it was heartbreaking for the romantics, the writers and the creators of the cursive writing form.
Handwriting encompasses printing and cursive styles and is separate from formal calligraphy or typeface. Because each person’s writing is unique, it even works to verify the writer’s identity; the deterioration of an individual’s handwriting is also a symptom or result of certain diseases. Education at school starts with learning the alphabet and building up the art of writing. We all will remember how we began school with single letters, joined alphabets, formed sentences, and moved on to writing statements and expressions.
My most creative experience was in person – our English teacher forced us to write a Thought for the week. It was an even more significant challenge than learning how to write. It made me think, have my imagination go wild, scribble, and cross out, and finally, I have a simple and powerful handwritten piece ready for my Monday morning English class. Yes, we did not have the tools of word processing and spent a lot of time thinking and imaging, which is why the quality of our writing was much better and more original.
In secondary school, our housemaster pushed us to keep a journal and write a daily log. It is an excellent way to reflect and learn time management; best of all, it helped us subtly improve our art of writing. Today, the ubiquitous Calendar Apps keep our logs and reminders! While at school, we had to file reports of our school outings and mid-term excursions with sketches and photos incorporated. Today, essays and writings of people are in museums worldwide, and when we go back to the archives in our schools, we will be delighted to find some of our original writings. Trust me, this will be your most treasured moment!
Today, in the ‘cut and paste world,’ the Art of Writing is often the casualty. When I write my blog monthly, I browse a lot and then concentrate on my writing. When we quote with reference, it is research, not copying. It even takes us away from the original way of writing, which involves deep research, thinking, scratching our heads, and coming up with eloquent prose.
As the world becomes increasingly digital, writing becomes more important. Especially true for non-writers. If you work in an office, most of your communications are via text, email, or IM. Whether you like it or not, your ability to exchange ideas, collaborate with others, and ultimately succeed hinges on writing effectively.
- Stone has laid out a process to help us write faster, better, and more manageable. To follow up, here are ten timeless tips from www.pickthebrain.com to help you improve style and substance straight from the pens of humanity’s finest authors.
- Cut the boring parts
- Eliminate unnecessary words
- Write with passion
- Paint a picture
- Keep it simple
- Do it with love
- Learn to thrive on criticism
- Write all the time
- Write what you know or what you want to know
- Be unique and unpredictable.
The power of expression must bring about any change in the world, and writing is the most potent form of expression. It is original, thought-provoking, and, when used effectively, will be the change in itself. How do we do this? Here, you will find some examples of how the art of writing is encouraged at an institutional level.
How do we encourage the Art of Writing?
Beyond the simple need to write an essay or do homework, the school may want to set up a Literary Club or a Literary Society, which will bring together passionate young people with peers in action writing, which will become very exciting. Have a writer’s workshop at school, and send out entries for essay and writing competitions at the inter-school or national level. Use the internet to set up blogs and have students participate in online events and literary chats. Simply start publishing a school weekly or share information in groups. For example, I am happy to share The School Weekly of The Fabindia School, hosted on the blog www.bateduction.com. It took the community nearly 100 weeks to finally start enjoying working for the weekly. Today, the students look forward to Mondays, the day of The School Weekly.
Writing skills, turn of phrase, and briefly put together information are significant in this media-barraged world. At The Doon School, the art of writing plays a catalytic part in learning. The Doon School Weekly (DSW), written and edited by the boys, has existed since 1936 and is much awaited at Saturday morning breakfast. Prayas and Arpan (Hindi) and The Echo (a biannual science publication), edited and published by school boys. The Yearbook, the School List, and The Doon School Information Review are other vital publications.
Playing host to an extraordinary calendar of events—readings, panels, book releases, and awards—The Writing School in London actively participates in today’s cultural dialogue. The school cultivates a writer’s life that’s constantly growing and active in the evolution of the literary experience. Here’s How The Writing School Can Help You – The Writing School will teach you how to write creatively and market your work. You can succeed as a writer. The Writing School teaches you how to write using their unique, time-tested approach. You’ll develop the skills to earn money from your writing.
Music and films today are distributed using a different method and medium than in the last century. Books, too, are changing form, which suggests that writing as a form may not be so personal anymore. However, the Art of Writing will always exist as this is our most powerful communication medium. The distribution medium may change, but the power of the written word will prevail!
Sandeep Dutt is a school improvement coach and author of the book My Good School, published by Rupa Publications. For more information about his work and life, visit www.sdutt.com.
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint