That’s it, really: “writing is a weapon.” I could say that to you, possibly nod a bit for emphasis, and then shut up.<\/p>\n
But being a man…<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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 \u00a3350 million a week, let’s fund our NHS instead.”<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
That’s it, really: “writing is a weapon.” I could say that to you, possibly nod a bit for emphasis, and … Continue reading