The Religious Nerd

When it comes to interacting on social media, and the digital medium in general, everyone seems to think that they are experts at writing. You have probably considered yourself to be an expert writer at some point.  You may have even gone as far as to think that you are God’s gift to the internet when it comes to writing whether you have done it intentionally or not.

Or perhaps you find yourself on the other end of the spectrum and identify with people that consider writing to be a huge waste of time?  Whatever the case, unless you are a committed writer yourself, you have likely misunderstood or even outright persecuted writers at some point in your life.

You’re probably thinking “what is this guy talking about?” Ask yourself the following questions to determine if you have ever persecuted writers.

Have you ever:

• Viciously ripped apart a writers work whether it was a blog post, news article or comment on a social media platform?
• Critiqued a writers content without offering any writing of your own or providing better ideas?
• Insisted that a reader consider your words to be inerrant and infallible (your word is Holy and people must submit)?
• Taken zero effort to communicate your position because it takes too much effort to type it out?
• Considered writers to be people who crave recognition and can’t live without peoples approval?
• Discouraged a writer from continuing because you think they are wasting every-bodies time?

If you’re guilty of any of these things, you are a persecutor of writers, and should be ashamed.

Writing isn’t an easy thing to do.  I’m only 300 words into this article and I’ve already spent a considerable amount of time editing my work and reconsidering word choice.  I get why people avoid writing, it can be difficult, but the benefits outweigh the negatives substantially.

Consider the following:

1. People who write remember more than those that don’t.  You forget a large percentage of the content that you listen to, which is why podcasts and television are only so helpful.  Writing things down assists in memory retention and enables you to peruse content at will.  If you take notes during a lecture, and re-read those notes later on, you will probably do better on your tests.
2. Writers have broader imaginations than those who don’t write.  The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, need I say more?
3. Writers are usually the most informed people. Most (good) writers do a ton of reading to prepare for their writing.  Not only do writers spend hours doing research, they spend hours organizing that research and putting it down on paper in a way the reader can benefit from. Writers are forced to read, and the good ones do it extensively.
4. Writers usually want to inform the world and make the world a better place.  Think about it, for many centuries the common man could not read, and therefore writing was done only by the educated elite.  Now-a-days, nearly everyone in America can read and write.  With the internet, we can consume and spread written content across the world instantly.  I don’t deny there are writers who are trying to manipulate you and take advantage of you, but for the most part, most writers I’ve met love what they do and want to make a positive difference in your life.
5. Committed writers often apply the same amount of dedication to other areas of their life.  Most writers that I know are physically fit, employed, in a successful relationship, and have a lot going for them in general.  It takes a lot of effort to write, but it pays off in the long run, just like going to the gym can add years to your life.  No pain no gain.  If you want to be lazy and contribute nothing to the world, that’s your prerogative.  But please, for the love of God, don’t insult your local hard-working writer.

Stop persecuting writers.  Join them!  If you want to become smarter than the average person, start your writing journey today.  Start a blog, buy a journal, take notes in your favorite paperback.  Whatever you do, don’t choose to sit on the sidelines any longer.  Encourage writers, consume their content, and take part in the process of making the world a better place. You can do it!