When I picture a writer in my head, I see a person sitting at a desk either, with a pen and paper scribbling away or on a computer rapidly typing out ideas and deep thoughts. Now whether I see the writer has a pen and paper or a computer, neither of these actions appear to be social.
In “Writers’ Histories, Processes, and Identities Vary,” by Kathleen Blake Yancey, excerpted from “Naming What We Know,” Kathleen points out that every writer is different because every writer is formed differently. Kathleen supports her main idea by showing how writers grow up differently, think differently, and define themselves differently.
In “Writing is Informed by Prior Experience” by Andrea A. Lunsford, also excerpted from “Naming What We Know,” Andrea’s main point is, experiences build a writer, and they can be helpful or hurtful. Andrea supports the main point through examples and stories of how experience influences a person’s writing.
Both of these articles address how writers are formed and why every writer is unique.
The process by which writers are formed is a social process, which makes every writer unique because no two writers have the same experiences. Writer’s opinions are influenced by their prior experiences, just as a child who has a negative experience with something is going to have a negative opinion of that thing.
In the article “Writing is Informed by Prior Experience,” Andrea writes, “In addition to drawing on memories of writing, writers also draw on personal knowledge and lived experience in creating new text.” In this sentence, Andrea shows how previous experience can affect writers and their writings.
A person’s experiences are social or they are not. And if people’s opinions are influenced by their experiences, then their opinions are influenced by their social interaction or a lack thereof.
Just as social interaction goes into forming writers, writers socially interact to influence others and form other’s opinions. When a writer is writing at their desk seemingly having no social interactions, they are actually reaching engaged in a very social, constant conversation between readers and writers.
Writing goes in a big social circle. No matter how private it may seem, writing is one of the most social actions a person can take. Writers influence writers, and the cycle will not end as long as people read and write.
The written word crosses the borders of time and separation, making it infinitely more accessible than a person’s mere words. A writer does not have to be present for them to communicate with someone. A writer does not even have to be alive to influence someone with their ideas, which gives them certain powers and responsibilities.
Writers arguably are the most social of all people, even though their actions do not seem the most social. a writer’s influence can last forever, impacting generations to come until the end of time.
