Words: Friends or Foe? How can writing help you.

[quirkywords]

People can be afraid of words as they have no confidence in what they write. Maybe at school teachers have said negative things about their writing or their parents have said they don't write well.

Some people are anxious to write their first post as they wonder if they will make sense to others.

I believe words are your friends and everyone who can read this can write in meaningful way.

I want to look at how writing can help you

1) by helping you to explain and express your feelings to others

2) allowing you to connect to others through your words

3) by keeping a journal or starting a thread here and learn from your own writing and read others.

4) by helping you work out how to change certain behaviours

and many more we can share with each other.

To start at the beginning : Are words your friend or foe?

When you see a blank page or screen are you filled with fear or are you excited at the challenge.

Does writing words down help you more or in a different way to speaking them?

Everyone is welcome to contribute, first time posters , regulars, people who don't like writing , people who find they go the character limit for the post every time.

Write on

Quirky

PS writing in this context is same as typing , or using voice to text.

I want to look at how words can help you express your thoughts and emotions?

[Quercus]

Hi Quirky and everyone 😊

Moon I love that poem. I feel happy and safe in my garden so it makes sense it would evoke a strong response from me.

I've noticed myself using "the point is" a lot lately. I waffle. A lot. A hell of a lot. Sometimes I write and then go off on a tangent. Fun for me not for those reading. So "the point is" a sharp reminder to myself to hurry up and get to the point before I bore everyone to tears.

Also it means someone skim reading can skip to my point and decide whether they want to bother reading the rest.

I probably use lots of sayings and phrases Quirky. Just can't at this moment remember which.

I like that your posts nearly always end with a question.

[quirkywords]

hello all,

nat, thanks for dropping by. I am a rambler as you may have noticed and I get distracted then ramble some more. people often say to me what is your point and by then Inhave usually forgotten it.

Maybe I should say the point is, more often, to keep me on track, sonthanks for reminding me,

Do I end my posts with a question? I had not noticed!

Quirky

[Moonstruck]

"To be, or not to be?....that is the question". hahahaha (gee I'm funny)

[quirkywords]

hello all

Moon, and a very fundamental question and a great use of words concisely and full of meaning, Thanks

Quirky

[Peppermintbach]

Hi Summer,

Yes, I agree that there are many forms of communication including, as you mentioned, touch and facial expressions (body language) 🙂 I’m glad that helps reassure and comfort your daughter. It’s a very caring gesture...

Hi Quirky (and a wave to all),

I’m pleased my response helped you a little to come up with your recent question. Based on the warm responses, it seems to have been (be) well received. Great thinking 🙂

Pepper xoxo

[quirkywords]

hello everyone,thanks Pepper,

, I think people can write sweet words but when we speak them we need tone and facial expressions.

Sometimes when people say or write that they are sorry about something, we may not believe the apology if it is not backed up with evidence they are truly sorry. What do others think?

Quirky

Words need to be seen in a context for their really meaning to be felt.

[quirkywords]

Hello everyone,

I am wondering if anyone like me, although I am confident with writing, that when I write a post, I dlete a lot as want the most concise meaning.

I can write blog but when I write a post I find it takes time to get the precise message I want.

Does anyone have any ideas of how to write a clear post and not ramble, like I tend to at times?

Quirky

[quirkywords]

friends, beyond bluers, countrymen and women,

Lend me your ears,

words are so important

they can make friends

they can make enemies

they can cause tears

they can make smiles

What have your words done today?

Can you tell about the last time your words moved someone to tears ?

Quirky

[PamelaR]

Hi Quirky

Good question.... Since writing posts on the BB forums I've taken a number of approaches.

Firstly, I used to see how CC's responded then modelled my responses on how they wrote. That was until I got confidence in my own knowledge.

I don't think I ever have the right answers, but learning how to cut to the chase (sorry for the cliche) is a skill to be crafted. It takes time and doesn't happen over night. It's taken me years of writing processes, instructions, guidelines for the website to help me get to the 'nut of the issue'. Feedback from people was always a good thing.

What I do here on BB is 'do a draft in a word/pages document on my computer'. Read through it to see if I've answered the questions. Ask myself the following questions:

* have i addressed the post

* do i have too many extra words that aren't necessary

* am i repeating myself

* how can i write that simpler

* is what I've written understandable

So the above are the filters I run through each of my posts before I post the reply. I make changes in the word/pages document before copying and pasting into the forums.

It took me years to be comfortable with my writing!

You write very well by the way. I enjoy your posts.

Kind regards

PamelaR

[quirkywords]

Hello everyone,

Thanks Pamela, I wish I was organised as you.

i find editing my own words very difficult as I either delete the lot and give up or leave in lot and typos.

Words mean different things to different people and many misunderstandings come from because we may write something that means A and another reads it as B.

I may write something I see as being simple and clear but someone else sees it as confusing.

I used to write take care and end of emails but a friend said that was patronising .

Quirky