Monstrous Grace
There is a wolf in me...fangs pointed for tearing gashes...a red tongue for raw meat...and the hot lapping of blood - I keep this wolf because the wilderness gave it to me and the wilderness will not let it go
—Carl Sandburg, Wilderness
—Carl Sandburg, Wilderness
Digital writing has grown out of the technological age.
As computers become the new friend of writers everywhere, we must examine and
explore how digital writing affects us and our audiences, alongside the very stories
that we create. Being able to quickly type up stories, edit them in moments,
and share them with audiences through blogging, self-publishing, or online
submissions to literary magazines, has created a different kind of reading and
writing culture.
Feedback and reader response is quickly generated through this new form of writing. A comment on a story can appear within minutes of writing and writers learn through these critiques. Writing in a digital age may mean faster writing, more concise writing, and shorter stories. It means being able to communicate with writers all over the world, creating writing communities that could have never previously existed. Some writers may feel that up and coming writers are losing touch with the art of writing. That the further we move away from traditional pen and paper, the further we lose the spirit and essence of writing.
I believe this to be false.
Writing digitally, whether for instantaneous publication or not, opens up new doors for many writers. I believe being able to create digitally has permitted a whole generation of writers to become just that. Growing up with computers, with technology and the internet steeped into every aspect of our lives means that this generation must learn to communicate effectively and efficiently. If anything, we are constantly writing stories with social media, even if it seems frivolous and pointless to more traditional writers. Digital writing, in my opinion, has done nothing but help improve creative writing communities, in particular. People are able to inspire each other, explore ideas further and gain feedback on their interests before they even begin writing the story of their dreams.
Perhaps this is as non-traditional as it can get but I believe that this constant writing through social media platforms, self-publishing, and more, is what will define a whole new age of writing and story-telling. No other group of writers has been able to speak to their audience before, during, and after creating their stories and this, this I believe is the most important aspect of digital writing.
Feedback and reader response is quickly generated through this new form of writing. A comment on a story can appear within minutes of writing and writers learn through these critiques. Writing in a digital age may mean faster writing, more concise writing, and shorter stories. It means being able to communicate with writers all over the world, creating writing communities that could have never previously existed. Some writers may feel that up and coming writers are losing touch with the art of writing. That the further we move away from traditional pen and paper, the further we lose the spirit and essence of writing.
I believe this to be false.
Writing digitally, whether for instantaneous publication or not, opens up new doors for many writers. I believe being able to create digitally has permitted a whole generation of writers to become just that. Growing up with computers, with technology and the internet steeped into every aspect of our lives means that this generation must learn to communicate effectively and efficiently. If anything, we are constantly writing stories with social media, even if it seems frivolous and pointless to more traditional writers. Digital writing, in my opinion, has done nothing but help improve creative writing communities, in particular. People are able to inspire each other, explore ideas further and gain feedback on their interests before they even begin writing the story of their dreams.
Perhaps this is as non-traditional as it can get but I believe that this constant writing through social media platforms, self-publishing, and more, is what will define a whole new age of writing and story-telling. No other group of writers has been able to speak to their audience before, during, and after creating their stories and this, this I believe is the most important aspect of digital writing.