Write Because You Want To

we do not write because we want to; we write because we have to." - William Somerset Maughm

Just in the last few months, our 7-year-old daughter has taken a keen interest in reading and writing. Now that school's out for the Summer, the interest has been even more evident. She'll sit quietly, nose in book, lost in a world of talking mice and bears named Berenstein. No iPad. No Kindle. The real McCoy. Old school page turning. Now, if that weren't enough, she'd put the book down and then write. She'd write about what she liked, what she thought was funny, her favorite part. And, she'd write pages. Humble brag aside, it got me thinking. 

As a family whose business is communications - me in the technology space, my wife in the hospitality arena - watching our daughter has warmed our digitally-hardened hearts. We'll sneak a high five and text each other #bestparentsever as we watch the "little one" retire to her reading corner, or to her desk to write up her next book report. 

It makes us, as parents, pine for a better a time - when we wrote because we loved it, not because we had to. Nostalgia and child like wonder sets in as I think back on the writing I did today. 120 emails. 5 or 6 presentations. A few Twitter updates and a Facebook post. No creativity. No passion. No emotion. No capital letters in some instances. And, I hate myself for it. I'm becoming a robot.

So today it stops. Business writing can be an opportunity to show passion and emotion. I mean, it should be an opportunity to show passion and emotion. Effective communications is the power to connect, persuade, convert, and educate. And, when was the last time a robot convinced you of anything. Also, while we're on the topic we can vow to punctuate - even in 140 characters or less. And for extra credit, let's throw in some good grammar for Grandma's sake. 

So let's make a pledge today in the business world to rediscover that childlike love for writing. Let's write because we want to, and not because we have to. In so doing, we'll find that the change in mindset will transform our impact. 

Now, if I could only find a pen..