Writing.

So many people say they’re bad at it. They say that they could never be even a decent writer. They say writing is hard; they say it’s boring. Thing about writing is it’s all about finding your voice. And the only way to do that is to pick up a pen or start a new Word document.

The cool thing about writing is that everyone has their own unique style and flair. There are no two that are exactly the same. This also means that there is no such thing as a “bad writer.” Sure, some styles are more generally accepted than others, but every style comes right from the personality of the writer.

It’s for reasons like these that writing is underrated. Just like photography, dancing or drawing, writing is a powerful, creative outlet. Words are powerful, so when you put them together, the result can be piercing.

Nothing has the power to bring emotions to the surface and cause them to spill over quite like words can. The reason language triggers emotion is because we can name the things we feel. We can discuss why we felt a certain way. And when someone reads about it, it can trigger that person to remember how they felt about something. When that happens, there’s an automatic connection between the writing and the feeling or emotions of the reader. Sure, other media can impact emotions, but writing does it like none other.

All this to say, when you’re given the task or opportunity to write — on a small scale or on a large scale — it’s important to keep this in mind. Writing gives you the chance to be creative, to use your stories and to connect with all kinds of people in doing so. There is an artistic element to writing. And whether your writing is personal, or whether others will read it, it’s artistic and beautiful nonetheless.

For some people, writing comes naturally. They open a new Word document, and the creative juices start to flow. Before long, they’re several pages in and not even close to being done. But then, there’s the other end of the spectrum — the people who brainstorm for hours or days on end before they get words on a page. These are the people who say writing is difficult. But the words they end up with have just as much potential as any others to cut deep.

The weird thing about writing is that it’s hard to teach. Unlike math or science, there is no formula or calculation. It’s all up to the writer: word placement, word choice and length. The writer has the power to arrange these however they’d like to create their final design. Talk about free will.

So next time you have to (or want to write) and don’t know how or where to start, remember that it’s an art form. The most complex painting started with one brush stroke. And I encourage you to practice writing. You might discover a new creative outlet you’ll fall in love with.