The Power of the Pen

by Laura Mayes

The pen writes words and words can mean more than one thing, that is there very power. And where do these words flow from? The answer is simple, from the pen.

Words have the power to persuade, influence, dry tears, and forge smiles. Words can heal emotional wounds and eliminate fears. Intelligent words can make you rich, wealthy, and happy.

But even if we were to ignore these, arguably, poetic reasons science has proven that writing can help us. It turns out that writing has significant emotional benefits. According to different studies expressive writing can show long-term effects in improving your mood (Pennebaker et al, 1988; Páez et al, 1999), your psychological well-being (Park & Blumberg, 2002), it can reduce depressive symptoms (Lepore, 1997) and cause a decrease in post-traumatic stress disorder (Schoutrop et al, 1997, 2002; Sloan & Marx, 2004a).

People have been writing for thousands of years, the earliest historical record of a pen dates back to the 10th century BC (in Egypt) and yet before this invention people were writing on walls and in caves. The oldest discovered form of coherent writing is from the protoliterate period (which existed from the protohistoric 4th and 3rd millennia BC to the Early Bronze Age). We’ve always found ways to transfer our thoughts onto surfaces so that they can be cemented in time. Perhaps because we’ve always known, but not necessarily understood, that words are powerful. This is why pens are equally important - because they are the connection between our thoughts and our actions.

All respected well-known philosophers, writers, doctors and poets were guided by the pen. Their names still live today, even if they themselves are dead, because of their findings and writings. If these people had not chosen the pen, their respect in society would have gone down with them in their graves, as if they had never existed.

When we take a look at human history we see thousands of years that have been plagued by war, pestilence and death. The pen gives us the possibility to dissuade our future from making the same mistakes. A choice becomes much easier after we gain awareness within ourselves and others, and writing is one of the most effective ways to do just that.

Pens have the power to do good and bad.

Pens have the power to build and to demolish.

Pens have the power to create and destroy.

Which is why, as Edward Bulwer-Lytton says, "the pen is mightier than the sword".