Traditional and Post-It Writing

Funny thing about writing. How can it be that something any one can do - all one need do is pick up a pencil and begin writing words on paper - be so difficult? How come something that any one can do be something that few actually do? People say they either do not have time or want to take the time. And on top of that, there is the matter fewer people seem to be reading. By that, I mean books, magazines and newspapers. The general population, of course, still reads but more and more it seems to be sources such as messages posted on social media and articles on-line. More traditional outlets are losing ground to their Internet counterparts.

Do not misunderstand. While I believe writing remains alive and well, my observation and concern is that it is not as well as it used to be. One reason for this is that the pay-off is not what it used to be. For one thing, it is more difficult to get published as fewer books are being produced and then purchased. In addition, the competition for people's attention has never been greater. Our society has never been faster-paced. While such a reality may not necessarily be a bad thing, it nevertheless detracts from those wishing to have what they write be read. For many would-be writers, this big incentive is not a small compromise.

So, as this 21st century progresses, I see us settling into two categories of writing: traditional writing and post-it writing. Traditional writing is what I fear is on the decline. As a baby boomer, it is what I grew up with and continue to cling to even now as I approach retirement. And then there is post-it writing characterized by shorter sentences, paragraphs, and pieces. For post-it writers, their outlets are largely found on the multiple social media outlets, including twitter, emails, and Facebook, that are actually growing in popularity. For me, I will continue to adjust to the current trend, yet hope-against-hope that traditional writing makes a comeback.