Can we talk?

        Within the English language, there are many phrases that instill discomfort and angst among listeners. “Your check is in the mail” is one such phrase. No one wants to wait to be compensated fairly for a job well done. “Can we talk?” is another phrase that may make the heart beat a little faster for many folks, particularly if these words are uttered by a supervisor or significant other. After all, we’ve all had the experience of feeling the walls move in on us as we enter a conversation that may put us on the hotseat. Another phrase which may provoke one’s palms to sweat and butterflies to flutter is: “Would you write something?” What? Me?? Write??? I can’t do that!

You’d be surprised. Actually, you can do that and, in doing so, may discover rewards beyond your best imaginings. Writing, after all, is just speaking on paper. Whether we use a pen and notepad or a keyboard, the act of writing can be as comfortable as carrying on a conversation with a good friend. Ideas and stories can be shared in writing. Thoughts, opinions, arguments, and anecdotes are all fair game when we write. Furthermore, in writing, we have the tremendous opportunity of going back and removing some of our words and adding others, a luxury we don’t have when speaking.

When I was a middle years’ English teacher, I would tell my students to write and not think. Although this may sound absurd to most people, it’s a trick that works. When we write, the pen or keyboard takes on a life of their own. Words pounce onto the page and blend together to create something entirely new and unique. We can change their order, replace them with other words, and expand upon the details in a way we might never do in conversation. It’s a magical process that is available to each one of us, yet few people seem to want to experience the incredible mystery that begins with writing just a single word.

We— all of us—have stories. Many have taught us lifelong lessons. They are happy, sad, tragic, comical, or a dozen other emotions. Regardless of their nature, however, all stories are valuable. When we craft a narrative, we give selflessly to others, and we benefit by the experience of releasing what is truly in our hearts and minds.

Can we talk? Yes, let’s talk! Let’s talk about the thrilling world of writing and becoming writers. It’s there for each one of us and, with a small dose of confidence and courage, we may even discover a new passion for the written word.

Yes, we are all writers. Yes, we can write something!    

Shar McGowan