Many years ago, I was the Sales and Marketing Manager for a small environmental consultancy.

Although we did all kinds of sampling, testing, and chemical analysis for clients, our final product was a written report.

It grieved me, therefore, when I received speculative job applications from highly qualified science graduates, crafted in barely literate English, filled with grammatical errors and poor spelling. How would that reflect on our company?

Once, it shocked me to receive a curriculum vitae with an accompanying letter dashed off on a piece of lined paper ripped out of a spiral bound pad. I didn’t have a problem with it being handwritten; on a silky sheet of Basildon Bond it might have added an engaging personal touch. Yet, the applicant hadn’t even trimmed the ragged top. This person either didn’t care, or couldn’t be bothered. Whichever, it meant they were not my top pick to represent my company.

The written word can be the first impression we give in situations like this, so it pays to get it right.

However, writing as a superpower is about more than simply penning a successful job application or producing cogent reports for paying customers.

We don’t just express to impress.

The ability to write things down has played a pivotal role in the development of humanity. It has enabled knowledge to be preserved and shared, and has facilitated communication over vast distances. This fostered intellectual growth and drove technological progress.

Writing has shaped societies with the ability to set down laws, treaties, and rules of governance, and the articulation of cultural identity through literature and religious texts.

It continues to be a fundamental tool for human expression, learning, and advancement in the contemporary world, but that’s not the superpower I’m talking about here.

Did you know that many studies have shown creative writing to have a multitude of physical and mental health benefits?

In 1999, linguist Professor David Barton of Lancaster University stated, “The average writer has stronger family ties, fewer disputes with colleagues, and is generally more ‘in the know’ than the nonwriter.” In some ways, it’s no surprise to learn that writing can help to win friends and influence people.

But it can also make you feel better.

Research shows that incorporating creativity into your lifestyle boosts positivity and combats depression. It also assists subjects in coming to terms with challenging feelings and emotions. One psychologist, Charles Stapleton, proved that writing about trauma left participants feeling, “emotionally stronger, less upset, and less cognitively avoidant about the particular difficult life event.”

Taking that further, James Pennebaker reported that patients who wrote expressively about their traumas experienced fewer physical problems, such as migraines and stomach troubles, compared to those who did not.

A study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology noted that writing gives a significant boost to mental clarity. It is the perfect way to order your thoughts and opinions – and is proven to improve memory.

Another experiment documented in the same journal suggests that writing enhances creativity. Writers outperformed non-writers in generating innovative strategies to solve problems. If that’s not a superpower, I don’t know what is!

So, whether you’re penning your memoir, crafting a personal essay, or simply jotting down your thoughts in a journal, remember:

Writing is not merely a skill, it’s a superpower!

It empowers us to express ourselves, unlock our creativity, and heal our wounds. So, wield your pen or keyboard with pride and unleash the superhero within.

The world is waiting for your words to work their magic!

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