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The Final Verdict

To match the theme of this assignment, I decided to dedicate my last poem on WritersCafe to “The End” of all things. 

So, the question everyone has been wondering, will I continue to use WritersCafe? No, not this time. It did not satisfy the criteria I set for my ideal writing space. Here’s why...

1. Free of distractions

This website is FULL of distractions. I found it very difficult to write using this space, due to the various links and advertisements. However, if my goal was to share my writing online, I could potentially write my poems somewhere else and then just copy and post them onto this website, but that was not my goal. I think I will revert back to a simple word document or piece of paper for my next session of writing. 

2. Simplistic but customizable 

If WritersCafe met the standard on any of my criteria, it was its simplicity and customizability. Creating a post, commenting on a post, or simply navigating through the website was fairly easy. Although, they lack options to enhance your profile or stories with creative features such as different style text, colors, and formats. 

3. Not web-based

Since WritersCafe is online, it does not fulfill this criteria. However, my use with the website influenced my decision to list “not web-based” as one of my criteria (so don’t take it personally, WritersCafe). I am not a fan of having all of my work easily accessible to anyone on the Internet, so this is not the space for me. 

4. “Saves” automatically 

The “save” and “post” buttons are combined on WritersCafe, into just one “save” button. When clicking this button, it will both publish your writing and save it to your profile. I wish there was a feature where the website would automatically save a draft of what you’re typing so that you don’t have to worry about saving since accidents always happen. The website does have a feature that allows you to save your writing without publishing it, so that could be useful for some. Still, it does not ensure complete retrieval. 

All in all, I will not be continuing to use WritersCafe. Attempting to share my writing on an online platform has opened my eyes to how much I value pen and paper. This reminds me of the reading “Introduction: Writing in the Late Age of Print.” One part reads, “Because writing is such a highly valued individual act and cultural practice, the writing space itself is a potent metaphor. In the act of writing, the writer externalizes his or her thoughts. The writer enters into a reflective and reflexive relationship with the written page, a relationship in which thoughts are bodied forth” (Bolter 13). My relationship with writing is what makes a sheet of paper more appealing to me than an online platform. Since I am externalizing my thoughts, like Bolter says, it is an intimate, sacred act that is very personal to me. Physically writing something with a pen and seeing it in my handwriting feels more significant that typing it as anyone else could. It is also much more private, which I appreciate. 

This assignment has made me think about writing spaces more than I ever would have. I am now more aware when writing and using technology, and how I alter my voice and style in order to produce a product that is in alignment with the writing space and audience. 

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Description of a Writing Space and Writing Tool

After gathering information from the textbook, lectures, and personal experiences with this assignment, below are my crafted definitions of a writing space and writing tool.

Writing space: any platform that allows an individual to write freely with the option to add text, images, links, sounds, and so on, that can either be kept private or shared digitally.

When crafting this definition, I chose to include features such as links and sounds to make the definition more modern. Technically, any given writing space such as a piece of paper can’t always include such features. However, the majority of the writing spaces that society uses for education or work purposes involve digital or web-based spaces. 

Here is an article I found that discusses and analyzes the differences between pen and paper and the computer, and how each individual’s writing varies from format to format. As someone who has grown up in the age of technology and the Internet, I find it interesting to study and read about others preference on this topic. 

Writing tool: any object that allows an individual to compose text or media in order to achieve the writer’s purpose.

Picking a writing tool depends on the goal or purpose of the writer and format of their final product. If you are jotting down a quick grocery list, a pen might be the most ideal item to write with; although, if you are already on your phone, using your the “notes” writing space in your phone might be easier. Some examples of writing tools are computers, pen, phones, typewriters, and so on. 

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My Purpose, Audience, and Rhetorical Strategies

As I continue to post my poems on WritersCafe, it has made me think about who I am trying to reach and how. 

Going into this, I didn’t have any goals of reaching others, instead I was simply doing the assignment. Now that my work is online and people are viewing it, I am beginning to construct my own purpose, writing techniques and target audience. 

My purpose: As an author of poetry, I aim to express myself in a way that is artistic and comprehensive. I write for myself, but now that my writing is online, I am also writing for my audience on WritersCafe and the Internet as a whole. I express my feelings, thoughts and experiences through each poem with the hope that maybe another person will be able to relate to it. 

My audience: My audience is not only users on WritersCafe, but any user of the Internet. Due to cookies and search engines, it is possible that my work can be read by someone who does not have an account on WritersCafe. Though I can’t always control who my audience is, I am hoping to appeal to those at a similar stage in their life (early adulthood), who have similar experiences. 

Rhetorical strategies: Much of what I write includes descriptive language, meaningful use of grammar, and the use of pathos. I feel like all of these rhetorical techniques are strategies are used frequently in poetry to enhance the author’s message and voice. By describing things it helps the reader to visualize, and by using commas or spaces it can enhance the pace and voice of the poem. As with many pieces of writing, pathos, or creating emotion, helps to reach the reader in a more personal or impactful way. 

Below is my most recent poem on WritersCafe. 

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My First Comment!

An update on WritersCafe:

I made my first comment! It was super easy and clear, and felt good to acknowledge another individual’s work. Though I’m not a big fan of sharing my writing, I think this writing space is awesome for people who do enjoy sharing and/or those who are hesitant, since it’s a warm community where all are free to express. 

With any form of art or creative expression, it can be difficult to continue crafting your work, since you’ll never truly know if what you’re doing is correct (however, this is the beautiful thing about art for many, there are no guidelines). For example, a surgeon knows whether or not they successfully completed a surgery. For a writer, they may try to communicate an idea to an audience, or simply work something out in their own mind, but may never know if the message they were attempting to send was received. This is where I feel that comments and open forums in communities like WritersCafe are a great resource and addition to a writers work. 

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My Writing Space Criteria

Oh, the joys of writing! With a writing space and writing tool, words can take you to another universe - some better than others. What then, is an ideal writing space? Well, my ideal writing space is…

1. Free of distractions

A notebook with too many different stickers and pages or a website with various advertisements and links to click; these are just two examples of writing spaces that would make my head hurt. I’ve noticed that I tend to accomplish much more when using a space that is simply a blank document or piece of paper and my keyboard or pen. This is a personal preference however because some people may become inspired by distractions or external resources - it’s all a matter of how your brain functions.

2. Simplistic but customizable

Though this may seem contradictory, I like a space that is simple and effective in its use, but has the option to be customized. This can be transferred to a digital or hands-on platform. For example, if writing on a digital platform, the space is ideally easy to just write and post without any extra steps, but has the option to change fonts, colors, and so on. If writing physically with pen and paper, it is straight forward enough that you don’t need any other tools, but there is the option to use different color pens and design the paper how you wish. 

3. Not web-based

A millennial that prefers not using the Internet - what? Yes, that is me, at least when it comes to writing. If you know that people are going to see and read what you write, it can be difficult to just express without re-reading and re-wording in order to accommodate the audience. This ties back to the idea of produsage - we are both the producer and the user. Plus, it feels more powerful to write something down physically rather than typing it, but again, it depends on the person. 

Additionally... according to neurological studies, we remember more if it’s physically written down. Click here to read about writing and memorization. 

4. “Saves” automatically

Oh, the beautiful thing about pen and paper… no saving! Though it may seem like clicking a save button isn’t hard to do, there are so many ways your writing can get lost on various platforms. A writing space that automatically saves and stores your writing truly makes a difference. Why, you ask? If you’re constantly worried about making sure your work is being saved, your mind will not wander as freely. I see writing as a peaceful way of expressing oneself, something that shouldn’t be stressful.

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A New Writing Space

When given this assignment, I sought out to use VSCO which is a photo editing app that allows you to post photos to a profile and add comments, similar to Instagram. However, when I went to post my writing in caption form underneath a photo, I found that it only allows 150 characters. I am interested in writing poetry, so this was not ideal for me. 

Using the Internet as a resource I looked up various websites that allow users to post short stories or poetry. I found Commaful and made an account, but was not a fan of the layout or design of the website and the effect it had on my writing. WritersCafe.Org was my next attempt at finding an appealing writing space. It was simple enough for me to create an account and post a poem, so I’ve decided to stick with it!

From what I’ve gathered, WritersCafe is a place where anyone can create an account and post writing of any sort, whether this be cooking recipes, short stories, biographies, journal entries, politics, etc. Other users can comment and share your work (if you allow them to do so) and can send you messages, which makes this a good place to connect with other writers. When I went to make my first post, the layout was fairly simple and easy to use. 

I’ve just posted my first poem and am curious to see if it will receive any activity or feedback from the community. One thing about this website that I am not a fan of is the abundance of advertisements. My computer also tells me that the browser is not secured which worries me a bit. However, it is the closest to what I’m looking for in a writing space. Below is a photo of my profile, and the various advertisements (notice the “Not Secure” in red). 

From my experience looking for my ideal writing space, I have started to form a definition of what exactly I think that is. 

My ideal writing space: a place where any individual can post/share writing, long or short in length, and customize it to meet the needs of the individual’s aesthetic and purpose for writing. 

Although I am not sure if WritersCafe meets the criteria I’ve set, I am interested in seeing how comfortable of a writer I will be while using it this next week or so. Who knows, maybe I will never quit!

Click here to see my profile.