Writing about Writing

The other day I came across a quote by Joseph Smith in the new church manual. On page 561, Joseph Smith is quoted to have said, “I seldom use the pen myself.” When I read that quote, my mind instantly jumped to one of my current classes where we are required to write a lot and to listen to long lectures about writing style. Many people in the Church would argue that Joseph Smith has had a greater influence in the world than anyone except for Jesus Christ. That the Mormon prophet could have such a great influence on this world without touching a pen and paper is indeed impressive; it makes one wonder if writing is really as important as some make it out to be. However, reading that quote in relation to my class has allowed me to ponder what I really feel about writing. I like writing, and I am not sure that I envy Joseph Smith’s position of dictating everything he wanted to be written. It is fun to sit at the keyboard and to see feelings clearly express themselves on the screen. I am grateful for the opportunity to write. I might not like writing for others to critique and grade, but I like writing to express, analyze, and record. Indeed, I plan to keep writing for another long, long time.