There are so many reasons to appreciate the written word, and to create your own works with it, that this short essay will do the art of writing little justice. The motive behind reading and writing can be personal and professional – public and private. We read work that has been produced for large audiences, as well as a poem that our friend has written for us. Likewise, we write in a private journal or in a company memo. These basic forms of communication – reading and writing – are essential to life.

In its most fundamental form, writing is a personal experience. Writers can express their emotions or explain how they feel about certain topics that concern their personal life, or the world at large. I enjoy being creative with the English language. I am intrigued that so many words mean similar things, and a writer must choose a combination of these words to say exactly what he or she wants to say. Writing, to me, is fun and challenging. A feeling of great satisfaction comes over me when I read something I have written and know that I have chosen the perfect words to convey my intended meaning. Writing can also be a way to connect people. E-mails, personal letters, and instant messages are not often considered when discussing writing. Without a solid grasp of the English language, however, a person would have great difficulty communicating with others, even through these informal media.

On the more professional side of writing, the ability to put together a well thought out, cohesive piece of writing would help a worker in any occupation become more efficient. This is especially true of those in the writing field. People get information from newspapers and magazines. It takes a good writer to put together an article that will help attract readers. Moreover, the demand for adept writers is established by the millions who purchase and read books each year. Whether writing fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or how-to, writing books is the way to earn a living for many people. Lastly, the purpose of writing is often to build a foundation for something else. The lines we hear out of our favorite characters in movies and television shows, the lyrics we hear in music, and the words we hear from politicians and other leaders all stem from a writers pen. Whether a movie or television show is humorous or dramatic, these moods will not come across the right way without good writers backing up the actors. The music we listen to would not be as powerful if the thought provoking lyrics did not accompany it. Likewise, while speeches from presidents, congressmen, and political activists seem to be a form of oral communication, they are formed on paper first. Writing is an essential element to many of the experiences we have each day.

Reading is just as important as writing. For if nobody read, writing would hardly have any reason to live. People read to get information about the world around them. Newspapers and magazines give us our daily news. Books teach us history and science, among other interests. Reading can also be a fun way to spend recreational time. Reading a poem or a fictional story brings about a certain emotional release. When I can relate to characters in a story or the emotions of the speaker in a poem, I feel connection and satisfaction. As I mentioned while discussing writing, e-mails, letters, and instant messages are a great way to connect with family and friends. Reading these messages helps us keep in touch with those that live miles away, or even those that live a couple of rooms down the hall. One of reading’s most significant uses is making writing worthwhile. If nobody knew how to read or wanted to read, writing would have no purpose. Personal communication would suffer; dissemination of information would suffer; the creative process of crafting words and phrases would suffer.

Reading and writing go hand in hand. Reading makes writing relevant; writing does the same for reading. They are both significant parts of everyday life. As we walk around our communities, our places of work, and our homes, we are almost unconscious of all the reading we do. Likewise, as we talk to our friends online, or jot down notes to ourselves, we do not realize the importance of our ability to understand and manipulate the language. To be able to read and write is to be able to function and survive in our world.