Six Whys of Writing

You pick a pen, grab a piece of paper and scribble?or, nowadays, turn on your PC, go to MSWord, exhaust your fingers on the keyboard?and you're done?instant article! That easy, and you're an instant celebrity.

It has been made clear that everybody can write. Why not? It's as basic as reading. Once you've mastered the alphabet, able to distinguish plural from singular and loaded your cerebral bank with tons of vocabulary, you're off to a good start.

Much has been written on the how-to of writing ? from poetry to essays to novels ? but only less on the why side of writing. Allow me to blab on that for a change.

Why write?

A semester of essay writing classes and four years of enduring journalism teachers who were fond of dumping projects with tight deadlines helped me come up with the reasons for writing.

Reason #1 Power

Writing is a good weapon in swaying opinions, influencing people's mindset and way of living and in fighting for causes believed in.

Being a writer, you can bask in the glow of glamour. You become a celebrity but most of all a leader.

Reason #2 Expression

Other than being a weapon of might, writing is a good outlet for your pent-up emotions. Also, it allows the graceful or direct presentation of opinions and know-how.

Reason #3 Attention

You can use writing to bring attention to an issue you deem important or to things unheard of, which you want to share. As for my case, the scribbled words became my voice.

Through writing, you can reach a great number of readers from all walks of life without exhausting your vocal chords.

Reason #4 Entertainment

You can write for people's delight, and even for your own entertainment when you've got nothing else to do.

Reason #5 Immortality

You can be immortalized through people's memory; the written works you leave behind would remind them of you and your ideals.

Reason #6 It's a Write-Or-Starve Situation

It's your job. No escape. Write or be fired.

Reason #7 For Others

Most of all, write for others, not only for your self. Use writing to reach out to someone who feels alone and misunderstood, and who needs all the comfort in the world. Use writing to teach a lesson. My mentors had made that perfectly clear to me.

Before, I was merely satisfied with creating a world of my own. I enjoyed playing god. However, I soon realized that to be a better writer, I must not write merely for myself.

As a writer, you have readers whom you communicate a world of ideas, and who are affected by what you write. Don't only think of yourself. By becoming a writer, you have taken a responsibility to the society. You are molding and reshaping somebody's persona.

As a writer, you move readers to do something. Lead them to the light; lead them to the truth. They deserve nothing less.

One of my mentors used to read this to me: A writer without a sense of responsibility is no better than the leader who goes on with his work without regard for the welfare of those he leads.

I have failed to remember the writer from whom those wonderful words came, but they are words that are not easy to forget.

Sheryl is a junior editor of publishing company CannonCreek Asia Inc., currently dealing with business news, and is a contributor to the Sun Star Daily Cebu. A journalism graduate, she writes short stories, poetry, essays and few novels.

same day cleaning service Des Plaines ..

In The News:

New iPhone replacement scam uses pressure tactics and fake carrier calls to steal devices from buyers. Criminals claim shipping errors and demand urgent returns.

Amazon Ring's new facial recognition feature sparks privacy controversy as Electronic Frontier Foundation critics argue the AI upgrade expands surveillance risks.

New Android banking trojan Sturnus steals credentials, reads encrypted messages and controls devices.

Denmark's 3D-printed student village proves automation builds 36 apartments faster than traditional methods. Skovsporet project shows housing future.

Discover Android's new Sound Notifications feature that alerts you to smoke alarms, doorbells, and baby cries even when wearing headphones.

New SantaStealer malware reportedly threatens holiday shoppers with password theft. This Christmas-themed info-stealer targets browsers and crypto wallets.

The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.

San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.

FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.

Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.

Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.

Free up iPhone storage fast by clearing large photos and videos from Messages app. Simple steps for iOS users to delete attachments without losing chats.

Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.

The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Texas family reunites with missing 11-year-old cat Grayson after 103 days using Petco Love Lost's AI photo matching technology and community help.

Tired of AI customer service loops? These insider tricks help you escape "frustration AI" and get real human help when you need it most for urgent issues.

Unlock richer audio from your streaming apps with simple tweaks to volume normalization, equalizer settings, and quality preferences for cleaner sound.

Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.

Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.

The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.

OpenAI announced upgrades for its ChatGPT Images platform on Tuesday, saying the program can now make more precise edits and produce images more quickly.

Chrome for Android now turns web articles into AI-powered podcast conversations. Get hands-free browsing with Google Gemini's natural audio summaries.

LastPass faces $1.6 million fine from U.K. regulators after 2022 data breach exposed 1.6 million users. Password manager failed proper security controls.

Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.

Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.

Six Whys of Writing

Article Writing