What is the value of writing? In this digital age, not only have we seen a rise in literacy around the world, we have found a powerful means to communicate with each other, near and far, at incredible speeds. With access to rich resources for self improvement, the higher echelons of writing have never been more attainable than before. It seems there are more people producing higher quality writing than even a century ago. At the same time, the bar for the low end of the spectrum is rising as well.
It is a great phenomenon. Yet, it also created a paradox. As the low end and the high end converge, it becomes much harder to distinguish the value of your own writing. A small adjustment on the scale could throw you off one way or the other. Add to that the growing number of voices, which dilutes attention away from your own. If you are seeking to propel yourself into that higher tier of writing, it becomes much more difficult to determine how to get yourself there. Not all paths are the same, and not everyone agrees on the methods of measurement.
If writing is a bit of an abstract idea to evaluate, I offer you another perspective that is perhaps closer to home: what is the value of photos?
Like writing, photography used to be limited to the wealthy. The equipment was expensive and difficult to produce. Operation of the camera was also not a trivial task and required expertise. Then, as cameras became more compact and easier to use, photography became more attainable to the masses. As we moved away from film and into digital, photography became even more attainable. Not only were there more cameras, they were easier to operate and did not require a professional to develop the films for you. Now, cameras are everywhere. If you have a phone, you have a camera. Taking a photo is a non-issue.
In each transition, there were still higher forms of photography. A point and shoot could not take as good of a photo as a DSLR, simply because of the size of the sensor and the glass attached to the front. Experts still knew how to operate a camera better than a novice and made less mistakes that could ruin the final print. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish a photo shot on, albeit, a high-end smartphone, from Samsung or Apple, from a photo shot on a DSLR. If you are a photographer starting out, looking to demonstrate your value, you will have a much more difficult time convincing your worth over that close relative with a smartphone. That is, until you reach the high ends of photography, which has its own barriers of entry. Where is that line? Again, it’s hard to tell, and not everyone agrees.
That, in essence, is the characteristic of art. It is all subjective.
Writing, in much the same way, is an artform. An artform formerly limited to the wealthy but has made its way to the masses over the centuries. Aside from literacy, the distribution of writing has improved dramatically. No longer is it limited by the speed of horses, ships, and even vehicles. And no longer is it limited to the military and news stations, with their telegraphs and radios. Books can now be distributed in a matter of days. If not days, then a matter of seconds. We now have books in digital form, which can be distributed at literally the speed of light. (Okay, maybe not exactly the speed of light in the vacuum of space.) Then there are other forms of writing, such as blogs (hey), social media feeds, and media outlets. Writers now have tools such as online dictionaries, writing forums, and autocorrect, which has drastically evolved to not just correct misspellings, but grammar, and sometimes full sentences as well. Artificial intelligence has changed the landscape of writing just as it has with photography. All of these factors combine to propel the bar for the low end much higher, and thus compact the scale
Then, if there are so many good writers, each vying for attention, how can you distinguish yourself from the rest?
One measurement that all critics are likely to agree on is the idea. At least for now, artificial intelligence may be able to take a great photo, but it cannot help you capture a great idea. Artificial intelligence may be able to help you write a better sentence, but it cannot help you write a great story. Finding not just the right idea, but a novel one, comes down to a broad perspective and years of experience to build sensitivity and intuition. There is, of course, a bit of chance mixed into there.
The other is repetition. The more you practice, the more likely you will be noticed. All the while, repetition provides the opportunity to recognize patterns in your writing, refine upon them, and hopefully improve from there. It also demonstrates your discipline, which can affect the perception of your writing, even if your ideas are similar to a writer that writes more spontaneously.
Now I am, of course, talking to myself. It should be no surprise that the two points of measurement I mention are the two points I pay attention to for my own writing here on the station. I am by no means an established writer with the authority to write about this subject with expertise. Then, the value of this writing is not the exhaustiveness of its contents, but the conversation it is creating.
Pieces like this have a different value from the stories I write on this station. There are different aspects to consider. You are adding yourself to that chorus of voices. There comes a point where you must ask yourself: For what reason? For what reason do you write your voice? What value comes out of it? Is it for yourself? Is it simply to express yourself, to ease your mind, and whatever value other people get out of it doesn’t matter? Or is it to make a change in the world, to change someone else’s life, to motivate someone else, to broaden their perspective, or in some cases, limit their perspective?
Am I satisfied with that value? Perhaps. My platform is so small that I cannot hope to generate any conversation here. The value at this point is a record for me to see in the future. Or perhaps a demonstration of sensitivity to future readers.
As for the value of my other writing, the value of my stories, I hold myself to a higher standard. Conversational pieces can be all over the place, like real conversations, thus I can tolerate much more of what I produce. Stories, on the other hand, are curated, thus I am more picky about what I can post. And those standards make it more likely to become disappointed with myself. Such is the life of an artist, and the paradox of success. In order to become successful, you must believe you are successful. If I am to become a great writer, I must believe I am a great writer, even if I am not there yet.
The most important value of writing to me, at the moment, is the potential it has to lead me to greater projects down the road. And these greater projects could give me a chance to materialize the fantastic worlds I created over the years. The value of writing to you, in all likeliness, is to communicate or express your beliefs. However, instead of doing so blindly, I encourage you to think about what you are getting out of your writing.