The Materiality of Writing

Blogging in this class has certainly altered my outlook on writing and how its effected by its medium. When I began blogging, there was such a natural, inert desire to follow the universal standards for writing that are instilled in us from childhood. However, as I have become a more experienced blogger, I have tried to break free from this imprisoning structure, using color, font changes, and other creative touches to help express my ideas.

In academic writing, your words are your only tools. Every paper must be white, every font must be Times New Roman, and every text color must be black. Nothing makes your paper stand out from the other. Therefore, all you have is your word bank and grammar techniques to make you shine. However, as the material of writing changes, so do the way in which we can provide our argument. For example, when we used construction paper and crayons in class, my writing became more creative. The same is true for when I blog. I feel freed from the rules of academic writing, and sometimes experiment with font changes, underlines, and color accents, all of which expanded my arsenal for creating an effective argument.