The Weight of Words

So, as I'm about to embark upon my first true attempt at becoming a novelist, I'm once again reminded of the weight of words. This particular challenge is to write a novel in the span of 30 days and 50,000 words. I sat down yesterday and hashed out a timeline (it's the only way that I outline) and I'm pretty excited about it. In fact, I'm thinking it's probably going to surpass the required word count. If I do it right.

Fifty-thousand. It's daunting when you think about it. But what is more daunting is the statements that are ten words or less. "I love you" is only three words; but it can fill you with unimaginable joy. Change just one word-"love" to "hate" and it can devastate someone, even years after the fact. "He's gone" is a very benign statement that is open to a plethora of interpretation. But add two more words at the beginning: "I"m sorry" and you come up with "I'm sorry, he's gone." Which, I'm not going to lie, is one phrase I've heard more than once and it is truly soul crushing to hear. Add the same two words at the beginning of "it's over" and you have a relationship that comes to an end. In fact, "I'm sorry, just on it's own can be said through a fount of tears. But it can also be a building block to better days.

We've become careless with our words. The aforementioned "I love you" is a phrase that has all but lost its meaning. Sure, we may tell someone that we truly care deeply about that we love them; but we also say it to friends, coworkers, and even random strangers (such as the pizza delivery person) who are giving us something we strongly desire. "Literally" is rapidly loosing its meaning due to overuse. "Epic" no longer is. With the over-gluttenous saturation of phrases that appear nonstop-and often in 140 characters or less, we are saying far more than we have ever had and communicating the least amount in human history. Add to it such phrases as "bae" and "yolo" and the English language is rapidly disintegrating at our own hands (or, really, out of our own mouths). And, on the flip side, we no longer listen to what a person is saying, but how we're going to respond to it.

Communication isn't dead; but at this rate, it's not long for this world.

I'm keeping this particular post short-it's just after two in the morning and I'm bloody tired. But, as I mentioned in the beginning, the weight of the words of this world are once again on my shoulders. Hopefully, this post will remind you to be less frivolous with the prose and speech in which you use every day.

Words still have a meaning. We just need to be reminded of their impact every now and again.