Learn to speak one’s own language comes naturally to every human being; we learn it without formal education. But writing is an unnatural activity; it must be taught formally and studied purposefully. Indeed, many of the problems that arise in learning the art of writing are simply problems of getting proper written materials equivalent for the various features of speech.
The spellings of words are a clumsy attempt to produce the sound of our voices. The punctuation of sentences and the settings of paragraphs designed to give some approximation of the pauses and intonation we use automatically to give shape and point to our speaking.
The writer of English or any other language loses a whole world of ideas the moment he decides to write something rather than say it out. He loses the immediacy of logical presentation of facts and ideas.
It requires consistent practice to master the art of writing. For one to have flare for writing it is advisable to form the habit of reading extensively and practice as well, because the medium of squiggles on paper without a good study is likened to washing one’s feet with one’s socks on.
Writing takes more effort than talking or speaking. We should show interest in writing as speaking alone doesn’t make a person known beyond the people spoken to, but when we write, people anywhere as long as the written work can go would read it and know the author. We should also show interest in writing for the purpose of posterity.
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