In the article, “Writing Is Not Natural” by Dylan B. Dryer, Dryer explains things that come natural for many people such as speech, then states reasons on how writing is not natural for people. Dryer starts the article by explaining the link many people give writing and speech. People talk about writing like it is speech but speech comes natural, writing does not. He finishes the paragraph by reminding the reader on what writing is.
In the second paragraph Dryer explains writing cant just magically form on paper from your words, you have to translate the words using letters for them to mean something. He brings up facts such as, we haven’t been writing very long as a race and not every language even has a way to translate their words to writing.
The third paragraph is used to explain all the ways writing isn’t natural. Dryer brings up many different tools to use for putting speech into writing. Many tools such as: pens, pencils, keyboard, even sticks are used for writing. It is so common for people to use these tools that they have faded from being a good technology to write to just another way to write.
In paragraph four Dryer shows an easy way to prove writing as not natural by writing with the non-dominant hand. Throughout paragraph five he explains how writers tend to be too harsh, hoping to write the same way they explain things through speech. Speech comes natural with hand movement and shifts in the tone of talking. The writer is limited in writing to explain things, for they cant use hand gestures and such because writing is a technology, not a natural action.
Dryer spend the final paragraph showing writers it isn’t exactly their fault for not being able to write how they speak, because writers are limited from the technology.
After reading and analyzing the article, I realized the blatant and clear differences between speaking and writing. I didn’t exactly think writing came natural, but I was so used to writing in many different ways that I forgot I learned all these different ways at one point in my life. When I sit down to write an essay or finish an assignment, the differences there are between speaking and writing become clear. I will know what I want to say in my head, but realize putting it into words is sometimes a difficult task. I sometimes lack the ability to apply emotions, making me think the reader wont understand what I am trying to say. When Dryer stated, “It’s useful to remember that writing is not natural because writers tend to judge their writing processes too harshly—comparing them to the ease
with which they usually speak.” (Dryer 29) it makes me approach writing differently. I need to remember I cant replicate speech into words. Knowing this will help me understand writing doesn’t come natural and think of different ways to express my words so the reader understands my point.
Descriptive Hyperlink: Naming What We Know
I picked these two photos because they show both the physical and mental problems I and maybe others go through when writing.
