Rediscovering the Importance of Writing

Childhood recollections

When I was in boarding school, I'd be surprised at the number of books within the library. Why do individuals write numerous things? Why write so many texts on one topic? These queries bothered me. Also, the number of books within the fiction section was over subject-related books. I didn't have abundant interest in fiction, so I took to reading solely selected technical books. I also made up my mind that I'll not bug anyone with my writing.

I remember my uncle insisting that we tend to write him a letter during our summer holiday in our local village. It helped us capture the fun times we tend to spent together. However, as time slipped, we lost that ability to write. I saw many boarding schools in dehradun at present, they use digital mediums to teach their students but still, they know the importance of good writing skills so they encourage students in this direction.

Then at school, the monotony of letter writing discouraged me from writing something unconnected to my lengthy exams. Today, I read emails written by the new generation, applying for a job, or requesting a meeting. This makes me deeply saddened and unsuccessful. I attribute this to a big flaw within the schooling system – moving towards multiple alternative queries as the norm.

Technical writing v/s general writing

During my PhD. days, my thesis supervisor insisted that we tend to read our results eleven times before presenting to him for review. Though it sounded ad-hoc then, I currently realize the importance of these reviews. They did wonders for the clarity of thought.

Throughout my research days, I have written research project papers that were printed in national and international journals. On account of this, I used to be under the impression that I will write. However, that impression didn't last long after I started writing articles for the final public.

A scientific publication needs technical know-how and peers to review the articles within the same domain of expertise. Therefore, most of what we tend to write is usually understood within the view of the topic. Once writing for the general public, I have learned a lot regarding the clarity required to write something meaningful.

Learning on the go

Initially, most of my writing would think the heads of the reader again. I'd realize it tough to urge my point through. Consistent practice has helped me gain more clarity on the ideas I present. It's helped me build a vocabulary that creates presentations easy for the audience to enjoy. Also, it's shown me the gap in my understanding of things. Many times, I used a lot of jargon that created me feel happy regarding the wordplay in my articles. My editor's rigorous reviews noted to be the lack of clarity because of jargon. It helped me perceive what I didn't understand, which furthered my reading and analysis on the subject.

The simple act of writing frequently has created me a higher student and a good, better teacher. I emphasize this more to my students and expect the correct presentation from them.

This article is contributed by EcoleGlobale International School.