I’ve been meaning to write this post for a while now, and while I’ve been putting it off, a few things have happened that made it timely. First, I’ve been having a lot of fun playing with story maps, particularly as part of the Graphic Design course at the university where I study. Second, I’ve been having a lot of conversations with people about the value of writing in today’s world, particularly in the context of online social groups.
The Rise of Digital Lifestyles
The first story map I made was for my digital lifestyle class. We were asked to consider the various ways in which we engage with social media (e.., Facebook, Instagram, etc.) and to create a schema that could organize these interactions. This was a fairly broad assignment and I found that it helped me understand how individuals and groups engage with different social platforms.
Let’s look at Facebook for example. The site can be understood as a combination of a social network and a blogging platform. When you log in, you see your newsfeed, which is populated with the updates and stories that your friends and family have shared with you. These are typically short (often funny) status updates. In addition to your newsfeed, Facebook allows you to set up blog posts. These can be any length you want and can contain any kind of content you want. You can add images, videos, and links to further enhance the content and make your blog post something special.
Blogs are one of the centerpieces of any social media strategy. Not only do they allow you to maintain a presence on the platform even when you don’t have time to update your status, but they can also provide you with valuable information about your target audience and how to engage with them. In the case of my blog, I’ve used it to write about design, photography, and anything else that relates to my job as a designer.
Along with blogs, we have microblogging platforms like Twitter and Instagram. Twitter allows you to post short messages called tweets that can contain up to 140 characters. These are ideal for broadcasting short status updates about what you’re doing and sharing with your followers. Instagram allows you to capture and share short video messages called “stories” that can be up to one hour long. These are meant to be entertaining, whimsical, or informative and can include photos, videos, and links.
With the rise of online communities and social media, people are looking for ways to engage with one another. For those who choose to write, words can carry a great deal of weight and allow for a greater degree of engagement. Twitter and Instagram offer a ready-made audience for content published alongside their platforms and the ability to engage with users through their content means that your messages will be more likely to be seen and absorbed by your target audience.
The Importance of Being Present
One of the things I’ve been noticing as I’ve played around with story maps is the importance of being present. You have all of this content at your fingertips and the ability to be able to access any part of it at any time. But the moment you log off, you’re losing a piece of yourself, as everything disappears. This is why I make sure to stay productive throughout the day by doing something I enjoy. Even if it’s just for an hour here and there, it’s important to keep that sense of presence and connection with myself and the world around me.
Even if you don’t consider yourself to be a particularly “writer” type of person, it’s likely that you’ve thought about the importance of being present in your daily life. When was the last time you checked your email, went through your Instagram feed, or fired off a tweet, and didn’t feel somewhat anxious or uncomfortable that you might miss something?
Being physically present is one of the most important things you can do. But it’s also one of the most challenging. Sitting down at your desk for hours on end, staring at a screen isn’t how we humans were meant to spend our time. When was the last time you went on a long walk, sat in the park, or visited a museum without feeling anxious that you might miss something?
There are many ways that technology is enhancing our lives and allowing us to be more productive. However, if you’re not careful, these technologies can also increase our anxiety and discomfort. We need to find ways to enjoy our technology while also being aware of its impact on our mental well-being. The key is being present. Even if you don’t consider yourself to be a “writer,” you can still benefit from the presence that writing provides.
The Evolution of Social Media
When most people think about social media, they think about sites like Facebook and Twitter. While these are still extremely popular platforms, others have emerged that allow for greater customization and content creation.
YouTube creators can create and share short videos that are designed to entertain and educate their audience. Twitch streamers can interact with their audience through live chat sessions that are designed to be entertaining. Instagram and TikTok are expanding their platforms to allow for greater sharing of multimedia content.
With all of these options, it’s easy to see how people can spend all day long on social media without even realizing it.
Online Communities Are OnThe Rise
One area of growth that I’d like to highlight is the rise of online communities. These are mostly populated by people who share a common interest or passion. For example, there’s a YouTube community of people who make tutorials and walkthroughs about graphic design and a Twitter community of architects who share ideas and resources with one another.
These are groups of people who come together to share their experiences, knowledge, and interest in a specific subject matter. Within these communities, people feel more comfortable expressing themselves through writing. These are definitely not traditional “writer’s groups” or “creative writing classes” but I think that as technology continues to evolve and expand, so will these communities.
What do you think? Why do you think writing is important in today’s world?