The written word

​I make my living writing here on these pages, amongst other places where I share my time.

Words on a page are a funny thing aren’t they, they are written in one tone, the writers intended tone and voice but unless you know that person well then reading them becomes a whole new playing field.

Something written could be set out to be jokey but you can’t read tone into a black and white sentence, the humour can be lost.  The witty tone completely glossed over and missed.

You may then come across as rude and arrogant which of course couldn’t be further from the truth if you’d tried.

Sarcasm has the same effect when written…it’s like attempting Sarcasm with a child in conversation, it’s just not got. It goes over their heads and you end up explaining what you meant in about 3 different ways before changing the subject to ice-cream.

I’m a member of lots of group’s and forums, and it’s a common theme. Someone may ask for advice or ask a question and it’s answered but because of it being written down its sometimes impossible to tell if the reply is a joke, a rushed answer, someone being snippy and rude or hundreds of other scenarios. This then leads to others assuming it’s a rude comment or that person is being mean which in most cases, probably about 99% just isn’t the case.

If I’m in a bad mood I may read one reply one way and take offense when that person was actually just being nice and may have just rushed the answer.

If I’m in a bubbly happy mood I’ll probably read that answer the way it was intended in the first place.
Writing is hard enough at times without having to assume that your written words will be misconstrued by others.

Wouldn’t it be a lovely thing if we all lived in this happy bubble where what you say is read in the way it’s intended?

Help or advice accepted with a smile and a thanks without a moan and a dig?

Of course that’s never going to happen.

But wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t always assume others are being mean just because we have read something in a different way from what it was intended.

Maybe we all need to stop, slow down, rethink and re-evaluate a situation before flying off the handle.  Stop and count to 10 and come back again to re-read. Of course, there are also the times where if you can’t say anything nice then it’s best not to bother, bite your tongue and walk away.

I rather like living in my world where it’s full of rainbows and smiley people, hearts and flowers, I surround myself with similar people who are just like myself after all negativity rubs off and I am not a negative person.

The world is a horrid place, a scary place as it is so I’m not going to waste time and energy being anything other than happy.

The written word is strange, sometimes I wish I felt more comfortable the other side of the camera as no one can twist your words when they are spoken can they, you can’t speak a spelling mistake or add the wrong punctuation, humour is clearer and witty tones portrayed as intended.

I leave you with

“Lollipops”

It’s rather impossible to be sad when you’re saying that. Try it for yourself.

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