WHAT IS WRITING AN OBVIOUS QUESTION But surprisingly

WHAT IS WRITING?

AN OBVIOUS QUESTION! But, surprisingly, very few writing textbooks ask it.

SO, WHAT IS WRITING? I want each of you to: • Come up with three ideas about what writing is to you • Write each idea on a separate sticky note • Put your sticky notes on the wall • Cluster your notes next to notes with similar ideas

SO, PERHAPS NOT SUCH AN OBVIOUS QUESTION AFTER ALL!

THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME OF MY IDEAS ON THE SUBJECT. We will come back to your ideas throughout the rest of the talk.

WRITING IS… …the graphic representation of language.

GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATIONS Only one symbol is writing. Why?

Unlike this These represent language Woman Frau Mujer Kona Γυναίχα

CONCEPTUALLY, THERE IS A TREMENDOUS LEAP FROM THIS…

AND YET, WE STILL USE BOTH! 24 C 6 H 12 O 6

SO WHAT DOES ANY OF THIS HAVE TO DO WITH NARRATIVE WRITING?

WHO CARES? • Writing reflects the rules of language • Often arbitrary • Often context specific • You have many symbolic options available to represent what you want to say • Choose wisely • Use appropriately

WRITING IS… …an act of communication.

COMMUNICATION REQUIRES: • Something to say • The message • Someone to say it • The author(s) • Someone to receive it • The audience

IT ALSO REQUIRES A MEDIUM FOR TRANSMISSION. Which makes writing a cultural inheritance system

ANALYZING THE MEDIUM ALONE CAN BE REVEALING

FOR INSTANCE…

WHO IS THE AUTHOR?

WHO IS AUDIENCE?

WHAT IS THE MESSAGE?

CONTRAST WITH THIS PIECE

LET’S TAKE ANOTHER HISTORICAL EXAMPLE

Assyrian prism inscription BM 91032 Who is the author? Who is the audience? And the message?

CONTRAST WITH THIS PIECE

ONE LAST HISTORICAL EXAMPLE

EGGJA RUNESTONE Author? Audience? Message?

NOT ALL WRITING IS MEANT FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION!

OFTEN YOU WILL WRITE FOR YOURSELF OR FOR A VERY SMALL AUDIENCE. • Diaries • Emails • Texts • Notes • Lab notebooks • Post it reminders • To do lists • Etc.

SIMILARLY, ORGANIZATIONS FREQUENTLY USE INTERNAL WRITTEN COMMUNICATION.

WHICH, OF COURSE, IS NOTHING NEW!

SOME WRITING CAN BE VERY PERSONAL

WRITING ALWAYS COMES BACK TO: • What needs to be said? • Who will be involved in saying it? • Who will be receiving the message? • What medium will transmit the message?

WRITING IS… …a creative process.

SO FAR, WE HAVE ONLY DISCUSSED WRITTEN PRODUCTS:

THIS IS ONE OF THE PRIMARY WAYS MOST PEOPLE INTERACT WITH WRITING • • • Books Magazines Newspapers Journals Instruction manuals Street signs Billboards Packaging Websites Etc.

BUT THESE ONLY REPRESENT A SNAPSHOT OF THE WRITING PROCESS!

WRITING ALSO CONSISTS OF: • • • Research Brainstorming Outlines Rough drafts Revisions Peer review Proofs Final drafts Revised editions Etc.

WHICH LEADS TO MORE: • • • Research Brainstorming Outlines Rough drafts Revisions Peer review Proofs Final drafts Revised editions Etc.

WRITING IS… …a conversation.

WRITING IS… …a team effort.

AND IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN!