The Art of Putting Pen to Paper in a World Full of Noise

Reading my diary from elementary school always manages to be a hilarious experience, and I can't help but wince at my "boy dilemmas" and my lists of cute boys in my class. I am in love with words. I love reading them, forming sentences with them and interpreting them. Through all the stages of my life thus far, I have had a natural tendency to write my feelings down and call it art, even if it were writings on a sticky note with a few doodles scattered here and there. The same goes for the all the song verses I wrote in middle school that was probably inspired by Taylor Swift, and are oddly still relatable. I love words in all preparations, from poems to books to songs to the good ol' "Dear Diary" and will always be grateful for this delightful outlet and art form. Today, I am the proud author of two books, one of which became number one on Amazon. The art of putting pen to paper allows me to empower other girls to be confident leaders of their generation. My tools? A paper, a pen, my laptop, a passion and a dream.

The act of writing for enjoyment is at an all-time low for teenagers. Putting pen to paper without a pre-conceived draft for an essay is becoming a thing of the past. Generation Z brings their thoughts to life through advanced technology, which I like to call "noise." The "noise" of expressing thoughts is a combination of abbreviated text and emoticons that are delivered by the average teenager at the rate of 3,339 texts per month. Reading literature, unless it is required for school, (and sometimes even then), is no longer considered "cool." All of these facts point toward one clear message: The act of writing from the soul, and expressing one's emotions in the most personal, raw, and artistic way possible, is disappearing. The majority of today's most prized pieces of literature were created because someone put pen to paper. As someone with a passion for literature in all forms, the idea of this becoming a lost art frightens me.

Writing takes time. A tweet does not. I truly believe that our youth simply does not recognize the wonderful benefits that the art of writing will bring to them. One cannot be blamed for ignorance, so I feel as though it is partly my responsibility to share my love of words and to perhaps enlighten those who have yet to experience the satisfaction of creating an artwork of literature.
Writing forces you to appreciate what you have and continually sends you the message that things will improve. My old notebooks and scraps of writing are some of my preferred memories to reflect on when I'm going through a hard time. It's incredible how much my perspective has changed on my journey to self-acceptance. What dilemmas I have now did not worry me then and what was so significant to me back then doesn't matter any longer. I can look back on what I wrote at the beginning of the year and see how much has changed. Retrospection really is 20/20 and being able to look back on how you precisely felt on a specific day a year ago really brings life into a new viewpoint.

Besides the fact that writing is an unavoidable part of ordinary life, there are many wonderful reasons you should make a productive writing session a part of your everyday routine, even if it's just a few hundred words. At its most basic form, inscription is a way of collaborating. This is the one unchallengeable characteristic of writing itself, whether you are collaborating with a colleague or acquaintance or you're actually communicating to no one at all (a grocery list, for example.) One of the best parts about writing is that you do not have to be a pro to reap the paybacks of creating the inscribed word.

Writing can also be healing. It can be a way to vent all the pent-up frustrations burdening your mind into a far more stable form, paper. Writing can serve as a form of cathartic anxiety relief when you finally get to say what you can't say out loud, in real life. Sometimes, when I am angry, hurt, or upset, I will write down what I am feeling, or what I wish I could say to someone. When I read it back, I always realize how ridiculous I sound. It's amazing how our emotions can cloud our judgment. Always tell your journal first!

This arena of creative freedom is where I found my desire, where I felt as if I was being valuable. From the bright colors of a sunset, to the way someone's eyes brighten when they talk about something they love, I slowly began to take notice and find a new gratitude for these day-to-day occurrences. Writing gives me a sense of originality and a more poetic way to see my seemingly ordinary life. I am in awe of how this has altered my perspective from going through the motions to seeing the beauty in the little things. Despite the fact that I never used to consider myself a "writer," the simple act of putting pen to paper, and watching my story unfold has changed my mindset. This motion allows me to poetically splash images with overstated diction, or be plain and direct. The possibilities are endless.

Put pen to paper in order to challenge yourself. You'll be surprised. Try to summarize what makes you so joyful you can't stop laughing and what makes you so sad that you cannot get out of bed. Perhaps you will find some peace of mind, a stronger intelligence of self or at least, awkward recounts of those embarrassing moments in middle school.



It is my hope that I will inspire everyone to try to take up some form of writing as this new school year begins. It should be real and raw, from your emotions and mind. It does not have to be pretty or eloquent. If you are anything like me, you may discover an unknown passion that lives within you. We live in a world full of "noise" that, in many cases, has the ability to shape us in a negative fashion. This "noise" is often saturated with judgment and hate. When you lose yourself with the pen and paper, there is no judgment and the only "noise" is the sound of ink traveling across the paper, creating art in its purest form. Your handwriting is your unique symbol -- a masterpiece.

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