Like all other art forms, from painting, to poems, to playing music, writing in itself is a reward that can only be given from itself. Just like painting a beautiful picture, sculpting clay or playing the grand piano, writing is able to bring joy to the participant. The best part about it is that the reward is generally doubled because the person writing is able to produce something that he/she is proud of that can be shared with others who will appreciate it. No matter what you are writing, whether it is a story, poem, fable or an article, writing has benefits that can't be beat. Here are a few benefits of writing:

1. Independent thinking. If you think about it, writing requires you to think. You have to think about a topic to write about, how you are going to write it, what words you want to use, what types of sentences will fit best and the overall message that you are trying to give off in your writing. When writing, no matter how old or young you are, you have to have a clear path for you to think on. To write, you have to be able to understand what is around you as well as understand yourself.

2.Self-Expression. If you have something which you need to get out there, putting it onto the page is a good way to lift that issue off of your shoulders. In fact, sometimes it is far easier to say something in writing than verbally - this is especially true when the subject may cause awkwardness or embarrassment. Expressing these feelings in writing lowers the potential for this kind of social discomfort which can result from having those difficult discussions face to face.

3. Building confidence. Writing can help people to boost their self confidence. Although writing is generally a solitary activity, it can increase self esteem and confidence by allowing the writer to produce something which they can point to as an accomplishment. The writer learns that they can in fact express whatever they are feeling without having to worry about what others may think. Especially for children who lack confidence, writing is a great skill to practice.

4. Building speaking and reading skills. Writing can help build not only writing skills, it trains you to become a more careful and thoughtful reader and also improves speaking skills. A person with good writing skills is likely to also have sharp speaking skills. Not only this, but a good writer can even help others to "find their voice", as it were through their writing.

5. Health benefits. As silly as it may sound, writing has its benefits when it comes to our health. Writing allows many writers to cope with things. It has proven to be a very effective way to deal with stress. Those who write fictional stories are able to put their life experiences into something that can be shown to others. Writing also provides a way to remember memories.

Whatever you write you will know once you are done that you have managed to put something of yourself on the page - and hopefully, have created something which you can be proud of.