Writing and Talking

I think it is utterly fascinating how connected writing and talking are in our minds. We use the terms almost interchangeably. Well, we never describe speaking as writing, but we do talk about writing as either writing or talking. In an academic paper, we could just as easily write, "In Hamlet, Shakespeare wrote. . ." as we could, "In Hamlet, Shakespeare said. . .". In fact, it is often easier to say that a writer said something.

Maybe it just means that we think of verbal communication as the generic form of communication. Or maybe it means that verbal communication is the strongest form of communication (like how a particularly poignant painting "speaks to us"). In either case, I think there is something to be learned from it.

Although all media of communication are nuanced and say things in different ways, I think that there is a tacit goal of creating works that speak. And I think that speaking is about being human (it is what separates us from all others). When I write, I want my words to sound the way that people sound (academic drivel is wasted words). Pictures either look like the real world or make me think strongly of my humanity. Good comedy does the same thing (which is why comedians are philosophers).

The next time you write, speak.