I think the best way to sum it up is to say that some have more practice writing than others. The more you read and write, the better writer you become. They can lack that practice for any number of reasons.
2. Is writing a talent, or is it a skill? Is it both? If so, how? What does it mean to say that something is a "talent"? What does it mean to call something a skill?
Writing is both a skill and a talent, in my opinion. Talent implies an inherent skill level and creativity. Skill implies something that can be honed and learned. Writing is both. The conventions and language can be learned and perfected (at least in theory), but having a certain talent level for it, especially with creative writing, really helps.
3. How is writing best learned? Why? What do you think are some of the biggest impediments or difficulties people face when trying to learn to write better?
People are faced with insecurity, really. It's intimidating to come upon something that you need to work really hard at, regardless of the subject. Writing takes time and patience. Of course, there are also those that do not see the relevance to their chosen study or career path. But generally, I think it's intimidation and insecurity. I think writing is best learned, especially in the beginning, by making it fun and relevant to what the student is going through at that moment. Writing isn't all academic, after all, and the easier that the student can express his/herself the easier writing an essay will be.
4. Close your eyes and take a few minutes to picture someone in the act of writing. Who are they? What do they look like? Where are they? What exactly are they doing? Describe the scene in as much detail as possible.
The first thing I picture is a classroom. And I mean a high school classroom. There are all sorts of genders and races in there, but the one writing while the teacher drones on is most likely a female, caucasian. This is probably because that was me throughout high school and half of college.
I think the image of the older, white male slamming on a typewriter all alone in a sparse room with a window and hundreds of pages of paper laying about messily has been drilled out of me through teaching courses and tutoring. Maybe that's why I picture students first.
5. Where do you think this image of "writing" comes from? In what ways do you think this image actually represents what most people do when they write? Stepping back for a moment, are there writers or types of writing that probably aren't well reflected by the image you just described?
For high schoolers, the image probably isn't that far fetched. I am not sure what it says about me that I think of that girl in the classroom who tunes out the rest of the world. I'm not sure that it's genre or class or race specific, really, but I do think that it's probably only applicable to those that could do that and still pass classes, or at least to those that float under the radar. There had to be a reason that the teacher never noticed, if that makes sense.
It also leaves out all the people writing that are older, that aren't students at all. They are just as capable of tuning out the world, wherever they are, and writing.
6. What is "technology"? How often do you define the term? When you think of technologies, what kinds of things do you think about? Is writing itself a technology? How? Or why not?
I almost never have to define technology. It doesn't really come up. Without looking it up, I think instantly of computers, of software and the internet. Technology is (officially defined by Merriam-Webster) "the practical application of knowledge, especially in a particular area." In that sense, writing itself could definitely be a technology. It could be an application of knowledge, certainly. It is showing the knowledge in a clearer way.
7. Have you heard the term "writing process" before? What does this phrase mean to you? What is the "writing process" and how does it work?
I've heard "writing process" used in different ways. It's basically the process it takes to produce a final product in some genre of writing. There is brainstorming, revision, and proofreading, for example, that goes into every type of writing. I think the writing process is different for everyone. Some people brainstorm, then proofread, then revise, then step away for awhile, then revise. Some brainstorm, then revise, then step away, then proofread, then step away, then revise again. Some brainstorm, proofread while they write, then revise later. There are many different ways and combinations; it's finding the one that works for you.
8. Is writing a private thing, a social thing, or both?
I'm going to say both. I think the process of writing often depends, especially early on, on the eyes of other people, in their tips and ideas for revision, and that's social. There's the more obvious collaborations that are more social, too. I mean, if you're writing a book with another author, it's probably going to be discussed and edited in many different ways and situations, making it social. Often the process of actually writing is solo and private. But the idea of creating a sort of exquisite-corpse-like story happens all the time, as well as with poetry, and that is quite social.
9. When people talk about "illiteracy," what do you think they are talking about? Who is illiterate in this country? What are some of the primary causes of illiteracy? Is illiteracy a problem?
Generally, illiteracy means the inability to write or read at the appropriate level. It's basically a disconnect in the way that things can be perceived and communicated; if you can't read, then you probably won't be able to read street signs, which could be dangerous. If you can't write, you're not going to be able to text your friends or get any sort of non-manual labor based job. (Well, at least in theory.) I think illiteracy is a bigger problem than we seem to realize. I'm not sure what the causes are, other than a lack of being able to identify it at the right time or a lack of educational resources. Also, I'm not sure who is illiterate in this country, other than those without access to these sources.
10. How have writing and rhetoric changed in the digital age? That is, how has technology affected the way people communicate? Is this a good or a bad thing? Why?
I think the most obvious change, for me, is the informality of communication. When it takes two minutes to send an email or thirty seconds to type a text message or tweet something, the barrier between crafting these sentences and thought process is sort of eliminated. We see exactly what the person was thinking, without filters. I actually like it. I'm not sure that the academic world would jump for joy over it, but I like the way it puts everyone on an equal playing field, and the broader range it seems to give expression.
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