Why Writing Still Matters

A new analysis and exploration of writing practices that takes into account the radical impact of digital technologies of communication.

In an age of new media, with its concerns about fake news and misinformation, this fascinating book provides a clearly articulated rationale for why writing matters – now, more than ever before. It will delight and inspire undergraduates and general readers with its carefully considered and richly illustrated treatment of writing.Writing surrounds us, it informs us, it guides us, and it controls us. The power and complexity of this exceptional human invention is a story of change. However, in today's digital world, technology has drastically altered how and where we write, what we write about, and what writing looks like. This fascinating book presents a compelling argument for the vital importance of writing, and considers where its future may lie. Richly illustrated with examples of writing practices old and new, it explores the significant changes in writing that have occurred in our lifetime, and highlights how technology has challenged some of our most deeply held views about human communication. Through a careful examination of how writing works, it explores how it can be considered as a technology, inviting us to think again about this visual language that we so often take for granted. Writing matters – now, more than ever before.