Exploring the Power of Words to Express, Connect, and Create
October 15, 2025 | 9-minute read
Writing takes many forms — novels, journals, essays, even grocery lists — yet each one begins with the same impulse: the desire to express something within us.
Every October 20, we celebrate National Day on Writing, a day devoted to recognizing that writing is more than a task or talent. It’s communication, connection, and sometimes, even catharsis.
Whether you write stories, sermons, or sticky notes, this day reminds us that putting words on paper (or screen) is one of the most human things we can do.
Writing as an Act of Connection
Writing connects us — to others, to our thoughts, and even to our past selves.
It connects us not only through the stories we tell, but through the emotions those stories stir.
Every poem, letter, or paragraph is a bridge between two hearts: the one writing and the one reading.
From the Reader’s Side
As readers, we know what words can do.
A single line can comfort, challenge, or completely change our perspective. Books become bridges between minds that may never meet, yet somehow understand each other completely.
When I read, I’m reminded that someone else once felt what I’m feeling — and cared enough to capture it in words.
That’s the beauty of writing: It’s proof that none of us is as alone as we think.
From the Writer’s Side
As a writer, I love using words to communicate what’s on my heart and mind. Sometimes, I even use my novels to explore different opinions, beliefs, and lifestyles.
As a conservative Christian, I enjoy writing characters who don’t always share my worldview. It challenges me to see life through their eyes — to, as the old saying goes, “walk a mile in their shoes.”
Writing stretches my empathy, deepens my understanding, and, I hope, helps make me a better person.
The Writer’s Journey — My Personal Process
Writing is an adventure in itself — one that starts with curiosity and unfolds with discovery. Every writer’s process is unique, shaped by personality, experience, and emotion. For me, writing is both an act of creation and reflection. It’s how I make sense of the world around me and, often, how I rediscover myself through the characters I bring to life.
Writing to Process Life
I’ve learned that writing helps me process life. Many of my stories start as reflections on real experiences — sometimes joyful, sometimes painful — that evolve into fiction.
One upcoming romance series was born from a simple reintroduction to someone from my past. Life handed me a moment; writing turned it into meaning.
Writing the Stories I Want to Read
My process is simple: I write the kinds of stories I love to read. And I don’t just love them as their author — I genuinely enjoy revisiting them as a reader.
Sometimes, I’ll open one of my own books just to spend time with my characters again, the way you’d catch up with old friends. I even have my favorites — certain couples who make me laugh, or side characters who always steal the scene.
There’s a quote I once read (I wish I could remember who said it!) that goes something like: “My characters become so real to me, they become friends.”
That sentiment resonates deeply. Writing can be lonely — months spent tucked away in your writing space, immersed in a fictional world of your own making — but the relationships you build with your characters make the solitude worth it.
Writing as a Universal Language
Writing is something everyone can claim — it’s not just for novelists, journalists, or poets.
Whether it’s jotting a journal entry or composing an email, writing shapes how we understand ourselves and how we connect with others.
Everyone Has a Story
You don’t have to be an author to celebrate National Day on Writing. Maybe you keep a journal, write poetry in your notes app, or craft long captions on social media that reveal pieces of your heart. It all counts.
Writing is how we leave pieces of ourselves behind — proof that we were here, that we felt, that we mattered.
The Benefits Beyond the Page
Writing strengthens memory, relieves stress, and sparks creativity. It helps children learn, adults think more clearly, and everyone express themselves more fully. It exercises both your brain and your heart — and it only costs a pen and a few minutes of time.
Why This Day Matters
National Day on Writing isn’t just another date on the calendar; it’s a reminder of why words matter. In an age of constant scrolling and instant communication, taking time to write something thoughtful—something intentional—helps us slow down and connect with what’s truly meaningful. Writing reminds us that language still has power, and that we all have stories worth telling.
The Ripple Effect of Words
One writer’s words can inspire another to pick up a pen, and before you know it, those ripples become waves of creativity that reach farther than any of us realize.
National Day on Writing reminds us that words have weight — whether they’re typed, scribbled, or spoken aloud. Every story, letter, or journal entry becomes a small act of legacy.
How to Celebrate National Day on Writing
There’s no wrong way to celebrate writing because every word you write is a celebration in itself. Whether you craft a short story, jot down a memory, or pen a quick thank-you note, you’re honoring the spirit of the day simply by participating in the act of writing.
Simple Ways to Join the Celebration
If you’re looking for inspiration, here are a few easy and meaningful ways to celebrate:
Write a letter to your future self.
Start that blog you’ve been thinking about.
Journal about something you’re grateful for.
Read a passage that once moved you — and write why.
Share your favorite line or quote online with the hashtag #WhyIWrite.
Writing doesn’t have to be perfect or public to be powerful. Whether it’s a few words in a journal or a full chapter in a novel, every sentence you write is a reflection of who you are at that moment in time. So celebrate National Day on Writing by giving yourself permission to write freely, honestly, and without judgment — just for the joy of it.
My Challenge to You
Write something — anything — this week. A paragraph. A poem. Even a note to a loved one.
Because when you put words to your thoughts, you give them life.
Next time: Next week, we’ll shift our focus from writing to reading — celebrating National Friends of Libraries Week. We’ll explore the ways libraries serve as community anchors, creative havens, and lifelong companions for readers and writers alike.
How are you celebrating National Day on Writing? Are you journaling, storytelling, or drafting that dream project you’ve been postponing?
Share your thoughts in the comments — I’d love to hear what writing means to you.
Related Topics: National Day on Writing, writing inspiration, journaling and self-expression, creative writing reflections, reader and writer connection, storytelling process, October literary observances
All images courtesy of ChatGPT.
Alicia Strickland
Hi! I write across multiple genres under various pen names. But for nonfiction, I write as myself. As a designer with a love of Old Hollywood and all things creative, I bring diverse perspectives to my storytelling... and to my blog. In the unlikely event that I’m not writing, I enjoy crafting, gardening, or spending time with my flame-point Siamese, Hunter.
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