Writing Communities

In his conclusion for chapter three Lindeman makes a good case for something that is often overlooked in a typical composition course. That something is: “Students work on their assignments alone. They rarely write for one another or discuss their work with classmates. Teachers expect the class to be quiet and fill up most of the hour with their own voices. Schools virtually ignore the notion that all languages are essentially social” (34). From the perspective of a secondary English instructor, I agree with the concept that writing is a social process. This being said, it makes sense why there is a push from universities for secondary instructors to focus on a more expository-based mode of composition as opposed to the typical literary analysis type of essay.

Although “expository writing” is a broad implication, it is a form of discourse that perhaps appeals to students because it is a form of writing that allows them to express their “voice” in many different manners. For example, this blog might be considered to be a form of expository writing. Like any form of writing, I keep my audience in the back of my mind as I compose my contribution to this blog, but I do not feel the same type of pressure that I might experience when writing a formal essay; however, on question a person may as is what does all of this have to do with being social?

“Blogging” is a very social form of writing. Whatever I decide to write will be posted electronically for others to view, so it gives me a sense of purpose and motivation. Although writing might be considered a solitary act (the process makes me think about Edward Abby’s Desert Solitaire), Flowers and Hayes make some good points in regards to the social nature of writing because writers “live(s), as all writers do, in a culture shaped by language” (32). Furthermore, based on the assumption that writing is a form of “social action…”, “when thinking about writing, we also must think about the way people live in the world” (33). These statements about the social implications behind writing, brings me back to my points about expository modes of discourse and blogging.

To put it simply, the purpose of expository writing is to inform the reader of something. Typically, when people elect to inform someone of something, it is of importance to them, otherwise they may not inclined to inform an audience of something that is of little importance to them. Modes of writing like “blogging”, “facebooking” or “tweeting” are social acts of writing and arguably expository modes of writing as modes of communication such as this are typically motivated by ones opinions and ideals. Furthermore, these electronic modes of writing warrant instantaneous feedback which makes the process very social as other people get to give their ideas as well. These modes of writing are social and have a place in formal modes of instruction, as do more “real time” modes of instruction where an instructor insists that students engage in peer editing groups. Although social modes of writing may seem sloppy and chaotic at times, I side with Lindeman as a successful writing classroom should be filled with the voices of the students as opposed to a monotonous lecture.