The Power of Writing
June 01, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
While recently re-reading Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead, I came across a passage that goes to the heart of writing -- its power, joy, and inspiration.
In the story's final scenes, Gail Wynand is a media mogul whose New York Banner suffers a severe workers' strike. He begins to take on several jobs at once to maintain the newspaper's daily publication. Editorial writing is one of these jobs.
Wynand enjoys the challenge of conveying ideas, thoughts, and inspirations into tangible expression.
The pressure disappeared with the first word he put on paper. He thought -- while his hand moved rapidly -- what a power there was in words; later, for those who heard them, but first for the one who found them; a healing power, a solution, like the breaking of a barrier. He thought, perhaps the basic secret the scientists have never discovered, the first fount of life, is that which happens when a thought takes shape in words.
Indeed, writing is a basic yet powerful tool of communications. Digital devices allow immediate communications access to send and receive messages, most likely via E-Mail. That access is wonderful, powerful, and convenient. However, quick replies to instant communications on a Blackberry, iPhone, or computer, sometimes cause the underpinnings of an idea to get lost, misinterpreted, or conveyed incompletely.
To fully realize the power of words like Gail Wynand, one must first appreciate the power, whether the message is to 1 or 1 million. Remember that the words chosen for your message will be the words remembered.
In digispeak, Think before you hit the Send button!
david@davidkrell.com
While recently re-reading Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead, I came across a passage that goes to the heart of writing -- its power, joy, and inspiration.
In the story's final scenes, Gail Wynand is a media mogul whose New York Banner suffers a severe workers' strike. He begins to take on several jobs at once to maintain the newspaper's daily publication. Editorial writing is one of these jobs.
Wynand enjoys the challenge of conveying ideas, thoughts, and inspirations into tangible expression.
The pressure disappeared with the first word he put on paper. He thought -- while his hand moved rapidly -- what a power there was in words; later, for those who heard them, but first for the one who found them; a healing power, a solution, like the breaking of a barrier. He thought, perhaps the basic secret the scientists have never discovered, the first fount of life, is that which happens when a thought takes shape in words.
Indeed, writing is a basic yet powerful tool of communications. Digital devices allow immediate communications access to send and receive messages, most likely via E-Mail. That access is wonderful, powerful, and convenient. However, quick replies to instant communications on a Blackberry, iPhone, or computer, sometimes cause the underpinnings of an idea to get lost, misinterpreted, or conveyed incompletely.
To fully realize the power of words like Gail Wynand, one must first appreciate the power, whether the message is to 1 or 1 million. Remember that the words chosen for your message will be the words remembered.
In digispeak, Think before you hit the Send button!
The Technology Curve
May 20, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
This morning, I posted a blog entry entitled Don't Tell Me, Show Me. The entry concerns the power of technology.
Walking over to the Washington State Convention & Trade Center for the last day of the INTA 2009 Annual Meeting in Seattle, I realized that a brief corollary merits attention.
Technology increases, expands, and democratizes access to information -- how we receive it, distribute it, and store it. The ever-expanding spectral curve of access is tremendous. The dangers, however, are sometimes ignored, dismissed, or outright rejected.
A curve's not a curve without a downside, declared Machiavellian advertising legend Miles Drentell in the 1980's-90's yuppie drama thritysomething.
Miles' quote applies in this digital era of instant communications.
We post items about everyday occurrences on Facebook -- what we're thinking, what we're doing, where we're going. And photos complement our statements.
We post our thoughts in briefer form on Twitter. This micro-blog restricts us to 140 characters or less.
And we post our views, recounts of experiences, and opinions on blogs in whatever length we wish.
The danger is that we spend so much time writing about our lives at the expense of living our lives.
Summer is fast approaching. It's an opportunity to enjoy the weather, disconnect from the Blackberry or iPhone for a few hours, and reconnect with friends, family, and colleagues.
Here are my steadfast resolutions for the summer.
Get together with some friends for a baseball game, barbecue, or happy hour without checking E-Mail.
Read a best seller on a Sunday afternoon instead of texting, E-Mailing, or web surfing.
Take a re-energizing walk during lunch hour without talking on the Blackberry or iPhone.
I'm inspired. Thankfully, I can use my Blackberry Curve 8330 between INTA Annual Meeting workshops to find the Mets schedule, learn about this month's best selling novels, and research potential walk routes with GPS.
david@davidkrell.com
This morning, I posted a blog entry entitled Don't Tell Me, Show Me. The entry concerns the power of technology.
Walking over to the Washington State Convention & Trade Center for the last day of the INTA 2009 Annual Meeting in Seattle, I realized that a brief corollary merits attention.
Technology increases, expands, and democratizes access to information -- how we receive it, distribute it, and store it. The ever-expanding spectral curve of access is tremendous. The dangers, however, are sometimes ignored, dismissed, or outright rejected.
A curve's not a curve without a downside, declared Machiavellian advertising legend Miles Drentell in the 1980's-90's yuppie drama thritysomething.
Miles' quote applies in this digital era of instant communications.
We post items about everyday occurrences on Facebook -- what we're thinking, what we're doing, where we're going. And photos complement our statements.
We post our thoughts in briefer form on Twitter. This micro-blog restricts us to 140 characters or less.
And we post our views, recounts of experiences, and opinions on blogs in whatever length we wish.
The danger is that we spend so much time writing about our lives at the expense of living our lives.
Summer is fast approaching. It's an opportunity to enjoy the weather, disconnect from the Blackberry or iPhone for a few hours, and reconnect with friends, family, and colleagues.
Here are my steadfast resolutions for the summer.
Get together with some friends for a baseball game, barbecue, or happy hour without checking E-Mail.
Read a best seller on a Sunday afternoon instead of texting, E-Mailing, or web surfing.
Take a re-energizing walk during lunch hour without talking on the Blackberry or iPhone.
I'm inspired. Thankfully, I can use my Blackberry Curve 8330 between INTA Annual Meeting workshops to find the Mets schedule, learn about this month's best selling novels, and research potential walk routes with GPS.