Need for Screed

Daily writing prompt

What do you enjoy most about writing?

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It’s kind of wild to me that writing was invented around 3200 BC for the completely soulless purpose of documenting transactions, trade of goods, and keeping administrative records. We should therefore appreciate that some brave and enterprising souls, probably at risk of life and limb, broke the mould and started using the art more creatively.

Ever since I can remember, even before I formally started schooling, I loved the idea of putting down thoughts, emotions, ideas, and completely indecipherable doodles on paper that others could read, enjoy, scratch their heads in bewilderment, or even rage at. Back then, it didn’t even matter to me whether anyone understood it or not. That, of course, has changed.

We have been compelled in modern times to make ourselves painstakingly comprehensible, especially on matters of grave importance, because humans have an undeniable capacity to intentionally misunderstand or misconstrue. However, there are still avenues for writing like poetry and lyrics for music that don’t have to make complete sense to everyone. And that is what I find very attractive about writing.

More intriguingly, however, is the fact that we can commit to paper or other media some of our most creative (or destructive) thoughts, emotions, ideas, desires, fears, hates, and passions for others to consume at leisure, over significant periods of time and space. After all, leaving a legacy, moreover, a written one, has consumed mankind for ages.

And so I will continue this tradition, hoping that someone, somewhere, will take the time to read.