As you read these words, either as printed ink on a piece of paper or as an alignment of pixels on a digital screen, you may not be struck with any kind of profound or world-stopping admiration for the ingenuity of the human mind.

Writing may seem a banal piece of the everyday minutiae present in school reading and work memos, but it is nothing less than an incredible feat of invention. The ability to put one’s thoughts down as intricate markings on a page, and then to have someone else be able to look at those markings and competently absorb and interpret the intended (or “hidden”) message is quite a special thing.

Because of the nature of writing and the importance it has, the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) constructed a nationwide program to celebrate and inform students on writing. Started in 2009, every year on Oct. 20, high schools and universities across the country promote and encourage various activities centered on writing.

This year, Penn State Abington will participate by hosting a Q&A with a panel of great writers excited to talk about how and why they write, all of whom are either teachers or students here at the college.

The entire event will take place in Lubert Commons from 12 to 5, with the majority of the Q&A taking place during Common Break. There will also be several activities in which students can participate, including a short creative writing session for students to present their affinity for writing.

Abington’s National Day on Writing is being sponsored and overseen by Dr. Liliana Naydan, assistant professor of English and writing program coordinator at Penn State Abington.

One of the most important parts of this program is to try to help students understand and appreciate writing on a deeper level. Naydan works to conceptualize writing in the minds of students, assisting them in learning new and better ways to express their thoughts and feelings through their written work.

Many people may be inclined to view writing as a simple task, like talking but slightly more clean and refined. But writing is not quite as easy as some may think. It takes time to cultivate effective writing abilities, and it is something that can never really be mastered.

It is an ongoing exploration that requires study and effort, and this is what the National Day on Writing is all about: encouraging students to go out and learn about and try writing.

It can be an intimidating thing, putting down words that someone else will read. Undergraduate students may feel especially nervous about it, but they need not have this anxiety.

Naydan encourages student writing: “I see students as real writers, and I want them to see themselves as real writers.”

It is important to keep in mind that writing is ever present in our lives, but it is not a fixed rule. Language and the way we speak change on an almost daily basis, and therefore, writing follows in kind.

Turns of phrase fall to the gutter to be replaced by other witty sayings, then sometimes find themselves revitalized by a new generation seeking independence and individuality. Writing then never stops being an evolutionary discipline.

“Writing is a process,” said Naydan. “Writing is thinking.” And, in a way, thinking is writing. Typing on a keyboard and scribbling a pen across a notebook are simply ways of organizing and promulgating thoughts.

The National Day on Writing builds on this idea, allowing students to use their ideas and skills to build a stronger writing foundation, but doing so in fun and exciting ways such as by writing poetry, stories and creative nonfiction.

It is an event that will benefit anyone interested in the writing discipline.