Technology has already changed almost every aspect of our life, and writing is no exception. Written communication is easier and faster, whether it is a message, article, essay, or novel. Obviously, instead of using a pen, we type words on our devices. But the changes are deeper than that, and in this piece, we’ll try to analyze them.
Simplicity and Accessibility
First of all, it is important to understand that the experience is different for various authors. Novelists and college students might have quite opposite perspectives on technology and writing. They use it for different purposes, so the experience is dissimilar as well.
For example, students probably appreciate how convenient it is to type anything. It is significantly faster than using pen and paper as in the old days. Some even use voice processors to increase the speed. There is also a lot of information available with wide access to the internet.
Students can easily find almost any data on the subject and access professional help. Academic writing platforms like WritePaper offer tips and tricks on the process from experts. They also provide paper writing help when students need it. Specialists assist with writing, proofreading, or editing various college papers. One can learn from the best and get help with their academic writing in the convenience of their homes.
All of that shows the accessibility and simplicity of the process. You do not need a typewriter to do anything. One can just have one device connected to the internet to research, find examples, and type the text.
Wider Research
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Another important influence of technology is that it gives access to lots of information. This is essential not only for college students but almost anyone. You can read the news from any part of the world, access relevant studies on the matter, or have a discussion with someone online.
Novelists, for instance, can research anything they work on in terms of writing. If you are working on a text about space travel, there are plenty of sources to explore. This helps to make texts more vivid and true to life.
At the same time, it might interfere with the creative process as people are bombarded with news all the time. It becomes harder to work with a huge amount of data to organize it and deliver it comprehensively. And sometimes facts might leave little room for imagination.
Global Community
Not only is it easy to create a text, but it is also much easier to distribute it. With modern technologies, authors do not always need publishing houses and severe editing to get their novels out there.
It has pros and cons at the same time. The pros are:
- A global community of creators can collaborate;
- Wider reach to the audience – anyone can read it online as long as they know the language;
- Accessibility – anyone can participate in the process; you do not have to be an established author to publish works online;
- Democratization of the process so readers can find something to their liking.
However, there are some cons as well:
- With fewer filters of editing, a lot of low-quality texts can be published;
- There is a copyright issue as it is very easy to copy and paste someone’s work;
- Authors do not always get the same attention as traditional publishing. On the internet, it is often about SEO and SEM rather than the quality of work. People need to be able to find it.
It is easier now to deal with writing assignments, case studies, or presentations. But it might be harder for fiction authors to protect their work and deliver it to the wide public.
Less Proofreading
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Before text processors and various grammar checkers, writers had to manually proofread their texts. It was a tedious task, but it also offered a lot of opportunities.
Today you can simply copy and paste anything to a software tool, and it will “proofread” it in seconds. This eliminates common errors and grammar mistakes. But it is not even close to human proofreading. No technology yet can analyze the individual style, delivery, and presentation the way people can.
As a result, there is less filtering and editing work. This is not always a good thing. While you manually proofread the text, you have the time to reevaluate it in many aspects, like:
- Logical flow;
- Readability;
- Delivery;
- Consistency;
- Style;
- Coherence of ideas, etc.
This is much more complicated than simply fixing grammar. It is a necessary part of improving the text and making it better. If one misses this step, one might end up with an undercooked version of what could have been a great piece.
Different Sense of Text
If you haven’t used old methods, it might be hard to compare. But today authors have a completely different grip on their text. Today one can easily find any part with a search button, replace full paragraphs, delete, copy, or change. It is on another big level.
If you use pen and paper, it is not the same. There is no way you can just delete a sentence you do not like. Or simply find a part of the manuscript by keyword search. Word processing allows viewing a piece as a whole, which is a new approach to creation.
Volume
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As it is much easier to type, authors can produce a significantly higher volume of writing. On one hand, it is a benefit as it gives more opportunities. You can create it instantly and publish it online.
On the other hand, there is an issue of quality. The faster the processes get, the harder it is to focus on quality. Surely, it does not apply to everyone. But there are more low-quality texts out there than ever before.
This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it makes it difficult for readers to find something of value sometimes.
Different Language
The changes in the way we speak and write are natural and signify development. With technology, those processes sped up, and now it is easier to see them. New words arrive every year, and new concepts get relevance based on many factors.
The quick pace of life influences written communication as well. This gives authors more creativity with words and style. They can experiment with the delivery. At the same time, it offers a deep look into societal processes and important ideas.
In Summary
Technology has a major influence on the way we write not only in terms of word processing. It also changed the way authors research and approach the text. Overall, there is more accessibility, simplicity, and convenience. But there are also issues of copyright, quality, and creativity.
