The National Day on Writing was developed to raise awareness of the primacy of writing in our lives.
As the National Council of Teachers of English notes:
People in every walk of life, in every kind of work, and at every age write more than ever before for personal, professional, and civic purposes. They write through text messages and IMs, video cameras and cell phones, and, yes, even traditional pen and paper. More and more people in all occupations deem writing as essential”
In light of the significance of writing in our national life, to draw attention to the remarkable variety of writing we engage in, and to help writers from all walks of life recognize how important writing is to their lives, October 20th, is celebrated as The National Day on Writing. The National Day on Writing will:
• celebrate the foundational place of writing in Americans' personal, professional, and civic lives.
• point to the importance of writing instruction and practice at every grade level, for every student and in every subject area.
• emphasize the lifelong process of learning to write.
• recognize the scope and range of writing done by the American people and others.
• encourage Americans to write and enjoy and learn from the writing of others.
