During this time of Covid-19, social distancing, and uncertainty, most people are now discovering what it’s really like to be a writer, staying home with the solitude and being disciplined enough to stare at a computer screen for hours and days on end. And you wonder why we writers would do this of our own free will.

We keep writing because writing is a huge part of our lives. And the benefits are huge! And they can be huge to anyone who applies these tips.

Writing eliminates stress. It doesn’t have to be pages and pages of journaling. Just by writing down your thoughts and anxieties, that act of putting pen to paper gets those stressors out of the body, which leaves the mind better able to process the cause and effect of actions to be taken. Only then are the mind and body calmed.

Writing teaches communication. Writing every day for any length of time teaches how to communicate with clarity. When a person is writing, there is no body language or tone of voice to suggest a specific emotion to another person, so the words must be chosen carefully, and in a manner that expresses complex ideas in the most effective way. The whole process causes the writer to choose the most appropriate words and group phrases in a more eloquent manner, thereby increasing vocabulary.

Productivity rises. The physical act of writing thoughts on paper activates brain neurons, preparing the brain to process upcoming tasks, like an athlete warming up before training exercises. This process, for some people, can aid in the prevention of mental illness, such as Alzheimer’s or dementia. Writing down tasks and goals to be completed with the best applicable words aids significantly in achieving them.

Better decision making through a clear mind. When thoughts are defined and focused, the writer becomes aware of the many choices for their situation and can thereby make the best decisions.

Increases learning. If the writer can express that information in their own written words, they increase the retention of that knowledge.

Awareness of reality. Writing down daily goals and achieving them helps the writer accept those feelings about those achievements, thereby increasing awareness. By writing those feelings, the writer achieves a greater perspective.

Writing makes writers happier. When writing goals and achievements, the writer gains a sense of reality and makes better decisions, and the mind becomes freer because it is no longer weighed down by burdensome thoughts. The writer with a burden-free mind is a happy writer.

Live more focused. Writing down daily thoughts, ideas, and goals is a constant reminder of the dreams the writer wishes to achieve. A writer must always write down ideas that suddenly come from nowhere, otherwise they may be lost forever.

Overcome hardships faster. By writing through struggles and gaining a clear perspective of goals, the writer is able to overcome tough moments more quickly. The physical act of writing through those hard times in a journal not only provides a safe place to vent, but when hard times return, the writer will have a solid foundation of knowledge and skills to get through them.

Written memories. After all the writing and focusing and achieving of goals, the writer will have a rich history of memories, a stockpile of thoughts, and emotions, which could lead to an entertaining and emotionally satisfying memoir.

Should the writer use those memories to write fiction, the act of writing fictional characters and situations provides the writer a chance to analyze things around himself, giving a chance to look at situations from different perspectives. Some will see a parallel between the fictional situation and their own.

Writing a blog. Writing a blog can be challenging to some because it makes the writer think in terms of writing for an audience that will be able to locate and read those words on the Internet and know who wrote them, for eons to come.

Whether one is a writer or non-writer, novice or professional, the whole idea of writing gives the author a huge sense of accomplishment that no one can take away. At the end of the day, the satisfaction of having those words on paper is priceless.

Heal yourself with writing.

Sydney Montgomery

sydneymontgomeryauthor.com