Writing Exposes

Was talking with my brother one morning and he said something profound to me, “Writing exposes.”

Let me give you some context.

We were talking about the different approaches to communication around the workplace and why we have so many meetings. For many people, the default mode of communication is talking. With talking, it is easier for some to convey their ideas. You can use stream of consciousness to jump from point A to C to B and back to A. Talking is the default mode of exploring and conveying ideas.

Writing is different.

Writing forces you to clearly convey what you are thinking. Yes, you can explore when writing, but the act of putting words on a paper forces you to organize your thoughts. Words, sentences, and syntax all beg for order.

By writing, you force yourself to structure your thinking. Maybe not as much on the first draft, but definitely on the revision(s) and edits.

Writing exposes your thinking. It exposes your logic. It also forces you to stop and consider your emotions rather than just drive past them.

I choose to write every day to help myself make sense of the world. Writing exposes me to, well, me.

I learn something new about myself with each sentence, edit, and push of the publish button. Writing is my thoughts laid bare.