If you've ever picked up a newspaper and read a sensational headline, then you already know the power of words when you control how they're used. Just the word "power", when combined with an exclamation mark (see the article title) produces a mental image of power.
A Little Background
I recently went through a speaking lesson with my 22-year old son. He has a bad habit of mumbling and slurring words and I've had a difficult time hearing and understanding him (and I have acute hearing). During the lesson, I instructed him on how to enunciate, project his speech, and look people in the eyes when speaking to them.
Early in my military career, circa 1981, I was forced to learn techniques of military instruction. All noncommissioned officers were eventually required to go through courses in leadership containing this training syllabus. I had the fortunate advantage of learning to control my thoracic diaphragm in the process because I was stationed at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California.
Later, when I began writing manuals (Marine Corps Orders), I was able to use what I learned about speaking effectively into writing effectively. It's called natural writing.
Emotional Words Evoke Emotional Responses
Regardless of whether they're spoken words or written words, how we use them is much more important than the words themselves. This is why I believe grammar, spelling and punctuation are important when writing. You want to correctly convey the same meaning as if you spoke them aloud.
There's one thing we can learn from an Internet troll (those people that comment in ways to incite disorder and mayhem). The troll knows how to evoke an emotional response from people who read what he or she wrote. The emotion is usually anger, but it's effectively provoked nonetheless.
Summary
No great orator or great writer has ever been successful (unless you count Samuel Clemens a.k.a. Mark Twain) without learning that words are power. By practicing your speaking voice, and translating it into your written voice, you can achieve much more than mumbling your way through life.
