I read a piece in the New York Times earlier this summer about English majors. Titled “The Decline and Fall of the English Major,” it was written by a nonfiction writing teacher who pointed out that the number of English majors has drastically declined in colleges across the U.S. Students were simply more focused on a major that would lead to an immediate career–understandable, of course, in this day and age of massive tuitions and hulking debts.
One of the byproducts of this, though, is that students are not spending as much time as they once did learning to write. (Not to mention getting the wide range of knowledge that a liberal arts education can provide.)
And many of these same students realize at a later date in life that they wish they knew how to write better–to be better at communication.
Writing is a basic skill, and sadly it’s one that often gets overlooked in our world. The value isn’t always immediately apparent. On its own, it rarely lands you a high-paying job (especially right out of college–believe me, I know). And unlike something such as coding or even plumbing, its value isn’t always as tangible or immediate.
Like anything, writing is a skill. A learned skill. I believe everyone has the ability to become a decent, even “great” writer. It just takes time, dedication, focus, and practice.
What advice to published authors give to young writers? It’s always the same. “Write every day.”
In our age of instant publication and quick-turnaround news, many businesses and publications have become very focused on quantity over quality. But when you think about the sites and publications that are your go-to sources for news, when you really want to know the truth and depth of a story, what are they? They’re often the sources where “quality” still matters. Where news stories are researched, rumors are vetted, and where the words and sentences are more carefully constructed (and often read and re-read by actual editors and copy editors).
I believe in the power of words. And I believe anyone, whether they studied it much in college or not, has the ability to make substantial improvements in their writing skills.
What have you written today?