The Evolution of Writing

1133 Words3 Pages

Writing has been a staple of society since its creation centuries ago. The evolution of writing has caused the definition of an acceptable writer to also evolve, and there are many ways to become a practiced writer. Decent writing requires dedication, creativity, and structure. Writing must be a routine in a society for its citizens to become skilled writers. These aspects of writing are found and explained in many articles.

In the article, “Writing in the 21st Century,” Kathleen Yancey spells out how writing has evolved over the years. The author takes us through some key events that shaped writing into what it is today. Yancey brings the reader back to when writing was something that rarely happened outside of the classroom. “Reading …tended to produce feelings of intimacy and warmth, while writing, by way of contrast, was associated with unpleasantness – with unsatisfying work and episodes of despair – and thus evoked a good deal of ambivalence,” (Yancey 2). It was a tedious exercise that happened in schools. Over the years, writing was slowly encouraged, even if it was just a letter you were writing to someone. In the 21st century, there are now more outlets for writing. Yancey shows how writing is being expanded from just paper and pencil to online blogging and social networking. “We have multiple models of composing operating simultaneously, each informed by ne publication practices, new materials and new vocabulary,” (Yancey 7). This has encouraged writing to become more creative but also made it less organized. Yancey proves in the article that there is yet to be a perfect style of writing but we will keep working and gradually improving on writing.

In the article “Time, Tools, and Talismans,” Susan Wyche focuses on the ...

... middle of paper ...

... it. If students are taught the modern writing process, they will become better writers as a whole.

Writing is dynamic and requires much dedication to improve upon style. Improvement stems from repetition and incorporating writing into every aspect of life will enhance writing skills. A skilled writer will learn to write from many perspectives including their own and their audiences. Finding your personal ritual will help you write a more proficient piece of work. These aspects of writing will turn a basic writer into an expert writer.

Works Cited

Yancey, Kathleen. “Writing in the 21st Century.” National Council of Teachers of English. February 2009. 1-9.

Wyche, Susan. “Time, Tools and Talismans.” 52-64.

Bartholomae, David. “Inventing the University.” Literacy: A Critical Sourcebook. Ed. Ellen Cushman et all. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001. 511-24.

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