Like most writers I've met, I believe that words are a form of magic. They weave a spell around our souls, capturing the world in a few seemingly simple words. They aren't an illusion or a trick. They are power beyond measure. They are true magic.
They have the power to do incredible good and terrible evil. They can twist into lies, or bring forth great truth. They can be emotional, logical, or a mixture of both. They can comfort and caress, or they can punish and slap. It all depends on the user.
I have studied their use for many years. My entire life, to be honest. And while I may only be a 23 year old girl, I've watched and learned far more than most my age.
Because the magic of words fascinates me.
How can such small things shape the world so much? How can one word change an entire experience? What is it about words that holds such power?
And how do I harness that power for myself?
Those questions have dominated my life. I have pursued a life dedicated to the study of words and their power. And writing has been one means I have found to study it. But social interaction has opened up previously unexplored territories for me.
I have been quite surprised to discover that interacting with people on a daily basis has increased my writing ability. You'd think it would be the opposite, right? After all, pursuing social interaction takes away from the time I have to write. So why does it increase my skill?
But, of course, social interaction is all about words. Every word you say is used both for and against you in every interaction you undertake. Effective communication is the only way you can guarantee people can see you for who you are. That means you have to learn to say things just right, or people will never learn to like you for you.
And thus, social interaction actually makes you a better writer.
It all boils down to the magic that words hold over us all. Can you weave the spell just right, or will it backfire on you?
I agree. I use words to make people laugh, but my ability has only increased since I started interacting with other Bloggers on here. Trying out some of your jokes out loud in social situations is one of the main ways to see if your jokes are actually funny. Both of these aspects are quite important to an amateur comedian such as myself.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I may not be anywhere near as funny as you, but whenever I think something is funny, I like to try and share it. Watching people's reactions is very useful for writing, because if most people don't get it, I'm telling it wrong.
DeleteOr I'm just not that funny.
My abilities seem to increase with everything I do. I think it has to do with the way you approach things. If you go into a situation looking for a means of learning something useful from it, you do. But if you go in and just try to get it over with, you won't.
Thanks for the comment!
Words truly are magical when used properly by a wordsmith. When it comes to social interaction I can, and really do, plan out an entire conversation in my head. Almost every word I say is carefully chosen and sometimes what I don't say says a lot more than what I do say.
ReplyDeleteYeah, but I tend towards practicing my conversations with people out loud. And other people at work sometimes hear me. It's really annoying.
DeleteI think they think I'm a little crazy. They say it's in a good way, but still...
On another note, I once asked my co-workers if they imagined things as much as I do. I asked if they envisioned conversations, entirely new situations, themselves in other cities, states, countries, worlds...
They all said no.
So I asked what they do with all that thinking time. All of them told me they worry. A lot. About everything. It was really depressing.
I tend to say things. Mostly because I've been in situations where not saying things made my life miserable. But I sometimes wish I could truly tell everyone EXACTLY what I'm thinking. And that they'd listen. And actually do something about it.
But I know that's just another fantasy.
I have to agree so much with what you say about words and writing having the ability to be like magic and you conveyed this just perfectly here which shows that you have the potential to do this on a regular basis Kyla, sometimes a piece of writing can make me just sit back and be like "wow," and you definitely have the potential to do that.
ReplyDeleteOn another note thank you so much for your encouraging comment on my blog. To be honest I felt slightly bad complaining about my dad's emotional and very rare physical abuse considering what you go through at home. I hope that you can find some kind of resolve, at least I have a great mother who makes me feel better. One thing I will say is that no matter how much they rely on you physical abuse is not okay and you don't deserve that kind of abuse, you deserve it so little that if you moved out, no matter what they said they'd do nobody would judge you on it.
Ahh, you nailed it on the head. I have the POTENTIAL. And that's what my problem is. I want more than potential. I want to be magical.
DeleteAnd no problem about the comment. You should never feel bad about complaining about your problems. Everyone suffers in this world. Just because someone else suffers differently than you do, doesn't invalidate your own suffering. That's why it ticks me off when people tell me that while I suffer terrible things, I shouldn't complain because people in Africa suffer worse.
Yes, they do suffer worse. And what happens to them is wrong. But so is what is happening to you and me and a million other people. And keeping quiet because someone else's version of hell is worse than our own helps absolutely no one. In fact, talking about our problems can help us and can even help others who face similar problems.
You should be proud of yourself for speaking up against what's wrong with your life. Keeping quiet is something to be ashamed of, not speaking up.
And I know nobody would judge me badly for moving out, except my mom's family. The reason I don't leave isn't a fear of judgment. It's that I truly love my mom. She's crazy, not evil. After everything I've seen in my life, I know the difference. Underneath the crazy, when she's normal, she truly loves me and would do absolutely anything for me. That's why I don't leave.
Thank you so much for your wonderful and very supportive comments! I truly appreciate all the time you take to come here and talk to me.
I have not really noticed that social interaction makes you a better writer, but that's because no one ever talks to me I suppose. :/ But I have noticed that being around people in general is stimulating (because we are meant to interact with others)and the uplift in mood sparks creativity. I have actually found that writing makes social situations easier, because it is good practice for communicating with people. Perhaps if one day people actually like me enough to talk to me I will receive these beneficial results you speak of here. Hopefully, this will happen before I am dead.
ReplyDeleteSomehow I doubt no one talks to you, Jimmy. People as funny and quirky as you tend to draw people to them like mosquitoes to blood. Hopefully they don't suck you dry.
DeleteBut you're right. We are social creatures, at heart. We need other people just as goats need herds and chickens need a flock. Not just for protection against predators or for foraging benefits. But also for the social benefits involved.
Though my mind is stuck on the fact that goats will spend hours beating the crap out of one of the herd who was stupid enough to get their head stuck in the fence. I know quite a few humans like that, too.
I find inspiration from social interactions and situations. The more I'm around other people, the more I learn about people's unique character traits. I find them all fascinating.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry it took so long for me to get over here. I've been out of town for a bit and it took me forever to get caught up with everyone.
People are very fascinating. But I tend to tick people off if I let them know how much I see in them. It makes getting close to people tricky for me.
DeleteI don't want to be close to a person who I can't share things with. Even the things I see in them that they might not want everyone to see. So I have a paradox. I either have to hide parts of what I see from the people I'm closest to, and thus not feel close to them at all, or tell them what I see and have them run from me.
But all things are inspiration. Books, movies, social interactions, work, friends, the internet, farming, just everything. It all depends on how you look at it.
Thanks for taking the time to catch up with me! And I hope your trip went well.
I love being able to use my words not only to enchant people with a story, but to make them laugh. Tie them together in a funny story, and you've got real, genuine magic. Anyone who says otherwise is just dead inside.
ReplyDeleteI agree. But words can do so much more than make you laugh. Shakespeare and other wordsmiths have used them to make people feel the full gamut of emotions. Sadness, pain, fear, anger, joy, and humor. Love and hatred. Kindness and greed. Anything and everything can be evoked from words.
DeleteLaughter and humor is one weapon in a good wordsmith's armory. But there are still more.
That being said, I think comedian's are geniuses. The way they twist words and play with meanings to make people see things in different ways is magic, without doubt. I like Bo Burnham's songs for that very reason, actually.
Thanks for the comment!