Words Matter Week
Clear expression connects people, conveys ideas, and shapes understanding, making writing and communication indispensable skills for life.
Words are the basis of all communication for humans, no matter what language they are in or how they are constructed. Even babies begin communicating by making sounds that will eventually be given meaning and used for understanding. Whether spoken or written, whispered or shouted, the choice of words used makes a difference in the meaning and understanding are formed.
Words Matter Week is here to act as a reminder of how important words are, every single day. The hope is that people will take their word choices seriously and consider more carefully the words they use. Because words do matter.
History of Words Matter Week
The inaugural celebration of Words Matter Week took place in 2008 when the event was founded by the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE). With members on every continent of the globe, the NAIWE seeks to promote opportunities and employment for people who make a living with their words.
Words Matter Week also brings attention to the fact that the written word is a particularly important form of communication – and some people might even want to get help by allowing someone to help them craft their written words!
In addition to providing promotional materials, the NAIWE also celebrates Words Matters Week each year with a writing challenge that they share through their website or social media channels. These questions and challenges can be written about on individual blogs or social media accounts, then linked up with the NAIWE blog to create connectedness and camaraderie in the world of writing.
Wordsmiths, poets, vocabulary lovers, writers, grammar geeks, language teachers and so many others can have tons of fun and get involved with Words Matter Week!
How to Celebrate Words Matter Week
Check out some of these interesting ideas to get started thinking about the different ways to celebrate Words Matter Week:
Carefully Craft Some Written Words
Those who have a penchant for writing might take some time during Words Matter Week to connect a bit more with the written word. Pick up that old blog and make a post or grab that journal and start writing again. Get creative with words and make a difference by putting them down, whether keeping them to yourself or sharing them with the world.
Choose to Speak Wisely
Words Matter Week may also be a time for a person to consider how much talking they do and the ways that they communicate. Perhaps it’s a matter of building a better vocabulary to describe feelings and experiences, or maybe it’s a matter of slowing down to think before blurting something out. In any case, remembering that words matter can be a helpful reason to pause any day and all throughout the year.
Hire a Writer
Those who don’t feel great about their own ability to write that copy or maintain that professional blog might want to take Words Matter Week as a time to consider hiring a writer. Freelance and copywriters of all shapes and sizes are available to be hired to do the “dirty work” of producing web content, white papers, blogs, e-books and so much more for professionals and business owners who simply don’t have time or perhaps aren’t as confident in their word-crafting abilities.
