Traditionally when we think or talk about reading and writing text, books and essays are what come to mind. "Walls of words" written or typed on paper are typically the way these forms of writing are presented to us. The topic of materiality refers to writing text in a way that facilitates the reader's comprehension of the subject matter. In books and essays using images is the most common way of accomplishing this.
However, as we know, the times are changing and books are no longer the most popular medium of text.....With the internet constantly growing, both in size and popularity, Web Writing has become one of the most popular mediums of text. With that being said, it is obvious that writers have been forced to change the way they write. Instead of writing paragraph after paragraph like in a book or essay, Web-Writers are faced with the challenge of keeping the attention of their webpage-skimming audience. To accomplish this, writers must consider this idea of materiality to make the subject matter jump of the page at the reader. I, personally, am still learning this skill, but by using things like images, links, and videos a piece of Web-Writing does a better job of grabbing readers' attention as well as getting your point across.
So, what do you think we lose and/or gain in the new media world? (=)
ReplyDeleteDon't forget to aim these WWB posts at your peers; remember, they are your primary audience. Further, it's a good idea to acknowledge that you are all engaged in the same enterprise. (=)
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