That’s it, really: “writing is a weapon.” I could say that to you, possibly nod a bit for emphasis, and then shut up.

But being a man…

About this time last week I was at an international school in Geneva, talking to around 300 students about writing non-fiction, news, and persuasive writing. I’ve realised that I dislike the term persuasive writing just as much as I do the phrase creative writing: all writing is creative, all writing is persuasive.

But definitely, writing is a weapon. Since I was in Europe, I pointed out that you can make a strong case that Brexit leavers won because of 13 words. Specifically, 13 words on the side of a bus: “We send the EU £350 million a week, let’s fund our NHS instead.”

When you write anything down, it is more powerful. And in the case of the Brexit slogan, more immediately deniable the second they won, but that’s another story.

I do want to tell you that I built up to saying this line to the students. I didn’t build up very much, but I did build and the way I did so was to start with how all writing is a tool.

It clearly is. I was in Switzerland, and I’ve been before, and I’ve been to the States, solely because of ideas in my head that I typed out in different places. Writing got me flown around. Writing got me a takeaway last night.

Writing is a weapon and it is a tool. Admittedly, I’m now thinking about that Brexit bus slogan and having to admit to you that some writers are tools, too.