The first thing the most people think of when they hear the word ‘writer’ is
– Oh, someone who’s good with words.
But, what is a word?
According to the Oxford Dictionary word is a:
A single distinct meaningful element of speech or writing, used with others (or sometimes alone) to form a sentence and typically shown with a space on either side when written or printed.
Oxford dictionary
A thought can be represented in countless ways using the different combinations of words. To express a thought, one must carefully pick the right words.
Words are the information carriers between two minds; one that has a thought and tries to express it and the other who is receiving the words and tries to decipher them into the exact thought that the sender intended to express. If this operation fails we are faced with something known as a misunderstanding.
A single word can have many different meanings and it heavily depends on the surrounding words.
A writer doesn’t only need to be good with words, she also must assume what words are suitable for the receiver and pick them accordingly.
Words depend on the tone and the rhythm.
Words are what enabled us to shape our thoughts and evolve as a species.