Writing is important to Hawkwood. Writing is a form of art, a form of expression. It is a method of looking at something deeper than the surface, and conveying emotion beyond the ordinary. Writing is a form of activism, and a way of changing the world one word at a time. It is a form of community, a world without borders.
But what is writing?
It is a word on a page. It’s a poem or short story. Writing could be an advert on a cereal box, or some copy on a website. Writing could be scripts, novels and screenplays. To be perfectly honest, it’s whatever you want it to be, really.
To each person it means a different thing, or a different area of interest. At Hawkwood we run a number of writing retreats and courses to try and cover as many of these as possible. Sadly, it’s not possible for us to cover everything. That’s why we decided to ask what writing meant to our tutors.
Lifeblood
According to Mary Reynolds Thompson writing is lifeblood. It’s a compulsion to put thought to page, not even requiring conscious effort. This view, I think, is something shared by a lot of writers. The idea that it’s something we couldn’t stop even if we wanted to, that we lose ourselves in for hours at a time.
Writing could also be described as an expression of the self. Helen Moore talks about it’s three parts; soul expression, emotional expression and craft. This description appeals to me because it shows that writing isn’t one thing, that it encompasses so many different angles and opportunities.
Both responded that it is a voice. It’s a way to speak about things you wouldn’t normally be able to. That it’s a way of crafting and ordering your thoughts and feelings in a way that you couldn’t otherwise. And, perhaps most importantly, that it’s something that takes practice. A skill built up over time just like any other.
Why is it important?
Just as writing isn’t one thing, there could be any number of responses to this question. For myself it’s important because it’s a way of getting my thoughts in order. With everything going on at once it’s hard to find out which one I want to focus on when. That it’s fun also helps, I guess.
To our responders it’s a way to change the world. If you can change a metaphor, you can change a life. And if you can change a life, you can change a world. Sometimes a person can feel like they can’t be heard, that their voice is lost in the wind. If they write then it can be seen, and then it can be heard. No matter how long it takes.
Another reason it’s important is because it raises awareness. It allows people access to information on their own time, so they can learn and understand. It teaches us issues that we wouldn’t normally encounter by letting us get inside other people’s heads in a way no other medium does. And by extension it allows us to get inside our own heads. To raise awareness about ourselves, and who we are.
But really, writing is writing.
Click here for more on Helen Moore or Mary Reynolds Thompson.
Will Tuckett studied writing at Bath Spa University. During that time he explored writing for a range of platforms and forms of interaction. Following that he went to Stockholm University to study Teaching and Literature. While starting in script, he moved to write for digital media and specialises in long-form. Will is now part of Hawkwood’s Marketing Department!
