Why Do Facebook Updates Resonate With Us?

Have you ever thought that you might be reading a hundred scholarly and journalistic articles on the Syrian Crisis, but the one that remains with you would be the opinion of a friend who shared it on his Facebook update?

You might be reading several articles on health, weight-loss and benefits of certain food. I must admit articles on health are now just confusing. You start following a fad, get used to it, only to realize that there's a new super food/herb, which is even more powerful. But the single thing that will stay with you is a Facebook update of a friend who updated her improved health because of a super food or some new exercise.

All of us go through relationship issues, be it with the spouse or children or with friends. We may have scrounged the Internet looking for solutions, and not adopted any. But, if a friend shared a Facebook update on a similar issue, we will remember it and probably take the friend's advice, if there is any.

All these things have one thing in common. They are raw, unedited emotions of people. Unpolished, unedited writing goes straight to the heart, helping connect with the writer. Of course, a personal update of a person that you know also helps in the recall quotient.

Simple, unedited writing will be a way forward even in the publishing industry. The books that have appealed to us, stayed with us have had one thing in common — simple writing. Too many flowery words, heavy jargon and the emotion is lost.

There's an old writing-room rule: if you need a dictionary to read something, consider it not worthwhile. Clarity is understanding made visible.

Written by Shelly Joan. Shelly Joan lives in the vibrant city of Naperville and is a wonderful mother to two kids.