The Power of Words
Author, copywriter and brand consultant Caroline Allen approached us about writing a special piece for Ladies-who-Launch. We spoke to her about the power of words.
I started writing in primary school. I used to invite my friends over and instead of playing, we’d sit down and write a story. As I’m sure you can imagine, friends didn’t really like coming to my house! Even at that age, though, I understood the emotion that could be conveyed if the right words were used. I like how words can make you feel something.
That feeling, though, is different for everybody. When I write a poem, I might be touching on a life experience I’ve had, but I’ll receive an email from somebody saying it impacted them in an entirely different way. Your mind has the power to mould poetry, and writing in general, to fit your emotions. The words written on a page can touch people in ways you never intended, and that’s a truly unique thing.
Whether anybody sees your writing or not, I implore you to give it a go. Some of my favourite letters to write are letters I know I won’t send. If you’re experiencing a problem with a specific person or situation, writing a letter can really help free your mind. If I’m confused about something, I find that writing in continuous prose really helps me to get to the bottom of it. These little suggestions might not work for everybody, but it’s certainly worth a try.
Inspiration can be found in everything we do. If you’re considering writing a book, a poem or a screenplay, I’d recommend carrying a notepad everywhere with you. I’ve stopped listening to music on the train because some of the best snippets of conversation can form little parts of novels. There’s inspiration everywhere but you have to be prepared to open yourself up to it. I love my phone as much as the next person, but you have to be present in each moment in order to make the most out of opportunities. That’s a piece of advice which will serve you well whatever industry you’re in.
If you’d rather just write as a hobby or a tool to help with overthinking, inspiration still works in the same way. If you’re trying to write to clear your head, try to sit outside and write. There’s something about fresh air that really helps to get your brain working.
The best piece of advice I can give you though - particularly if you’re writing a novel or a poem - is to just get the words out. Don’t spend time, in the first instance, labouring over every single word. So many people start to write but get too bogged down in the monotony of editing their words that they never end up finishing. Writing is one of the most creative ways to spend your time so put that effort into the creativity and worry about the finished product later.
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