- How does writing whether on clay or on computers force us to deal with the technology at the same time we are trying to get writing done?
It makes us have to adapt to whatever device is being used at the time to get the message out. Of course today most people have either been born late enough to make an easy transition from mainly pen and paper to typing daily, or are born knowing how to use new tech at a young age. The first scriptors had to be able to get acclimated quickly to the new mode of communication because there was so few many of them. The evolution of technology and modes of communication force us to quickly learn or quickly fall behind.
2. How does technology affect the the content of the writing as well as the writing process.
Technology affects the content by allowing for it to be full of mistakes that can easily be corrected in an instant during modern times. Older technology meant making mistakes could drastically change how long it took a writer to complete whatever was being written because erasing wasn’t easily accessible. Or on the other hand, it could have made to content more precise and because every stroke mattered and they knew errors wasn’t acceptable. It also could have made content less detailed if there wasn’t enough physical space to fit a lot of material.
3. How does the type of writing they are doing influence the technology they are using?
I think changes the amount of words are used to get the message across and out there. With clay tablets, the message had to be shorter then what we are used to with multiple page analysis because it takes long to create a writing surface: then to actually use precise penmanship to make it clear and finish it off by making sure it is permanent. With modern technology, we can put out blurbs or essays without a problem. We can type multiple words per minute, and send any and all communication across the globe just like that.
4. How does technology affect the way that we read a document or text?
Technology allows for the text to be read anywhere and then has the ability for the reader to come back to it with ease if they weren’t able to pick up the message the first time or go right to google to define words in the text.
It is interesting that you feel older technology encourages brevity, when many people assume that social media and electronic communication have shortened our attention spans. Do we write more or less in the era of electronic communication? Also, be precise with your language – “modern times” is vague. Be specific in exactly what time period you are referencing and why.
It’s great that you mention how technology allows for us to come back to work, either to finish it or to look up a definition. We often hear how writers take months, and sometimes years to finish some of their work. If they were working in clay, authors would have a very limited time-span.
They would need to finish their work before the clay dried up or they forgot where their plot was going since they had no other way to take notes! Improvements in media technology have also allowed for longer, more complex stories with sequel, prequel and tie-in options. The art of storytelling has improved along with the technology to tell it.