The Importance of Writing

Just admit it. When you were going through high school and college, and your teacher or professor assigned a paper to be written, you most likely had one of the following reactions:

• You rolled your eyes.
• You said a few bad words under your breath.
• Your heart rate accelerated from anxiety.
• You developed a plan to "make this assignment go away as fast as possible."

And you thought you were the only one experiencing those reactions! Think again.

Overcoming Unease

It's called graphophobia — the fear of writing — and it's common. It's not really about writing; many who write frequently can be hesitant to share their work. But why? Researchers have found many reasons for the anxiety. Allow me to share a few that resonate with me, and perhaps with trainers in general:

• Writing forces a clarity of thought that might not come easily on demand.
• It might disallow for the "wow" or "entertainment" factor that happens naturally when people are verbalizing thoughts.
• Writing defines whether a person knows the material — or not.
• It forces a writer to demonstrate an organized thought process that, again, comes more easily to some than others.
• Writing for publication starts a process of being judged by the reader. (I battle this fear every time I write one of these columns!)

But… Write Anyway

After many years in the medical device business, I am convinced that a significant portion of a trainee's experience and curriculum should include writing. I know there are drawbacks — the time involved for the writer and any reviewers, for instance, and the subjective interpretation of the work — but the payoff is rich.

Consider the bright side of the anxieties we've just discussed:

• You'll find clarity of thought as you put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). When you approach an article as if you're telling a story, you'll be surprised how many details rush to be included.
• You'll be more creative than you realize. As with any innovation, creativity can arise in the moment, or even be inspired by feedback from a few trusted colleagues or family members who might share their thoughts.
• You have a greater depth of knowledge than you realize. No one knows more about what you're writing than you. Once you start writing about a process you've built, or a launch you rolled out, or best practices you follow, the knowledge will hurry to be heard.
• Writing can feel chaotic before you start. If you don't know where to start, pretend you're talking to a friend, and write those words down. Conversational is one effective writing style.
• Just remember this: We're a network of colleagues in an industry based on sharing knowledge. So, consider writing today.

It's Your Turn

Here at the start of the year, we're all thinking about our 2025 professional goals. I'd encourage you to consider adding writing for Focus to that list.

Like a good Sunday newspaper, the key to the success of our publication is variety. We rely on a chorus of authors sharing a varied songbook of thought and experiences.

This publication is intended for all levels of sales training and learning professionals and should be written by people from any role, position, or experience level. Consider writing as a stretch goal for yourself, your teams, and your colleagues.

And we'll make it easy: Our editor will work with any interested writers. Our goal is to keep LTEN members and Focus magazine evolving. Anyone interested in writing should reach out to Tim Sosbe, LTEN editorial director, at [email protected].

Best wishes to a successful and happy new year!