Is Everyone an Author?

I can see that the popular name and title of an "author" has grown a lot throughout the years, especially with the help of the technological advances. The term author could be considered in an odd way to people as someone who posts Facebook statuses and someone who writes a letter to an executive and even someone who sends a friend an email. I can say that I do not fully agree with that and that I think that someone is an author when they seek for their work to get viewed by an audience, or when someone does it and wants to get known for their writing. I do understand that people can write something that they really care about or just about anything on Facebook that it can go public but I do not think that it would be correct to call them an author. I agree that yes, anyone can be an author and that everyone is an author but really only if they decide they want to be an author. I view an author as someone who wants to be called and also does call himself an author, if they do not think in their head that they are an author then it doesn't make sense to call just any person an author. Anyone can write all you really need is a pen and paper, or a blank document, anyone can be an author but they shouldn't really be considered one until they call for an audience to view their work or if they are someone who wants their work to be published or have their name in bold so everyone knows it was them who wrote a piece.

Writers, Authors, and Genres In-Class Lab

Writers, Authors, and Genres

Similarities:

• People need to come up with and create something to become an author, doesn’t really just come out of nowhere

• That with all the technology it is easier than it has ever been to communicate

• People who make a contribution to the global community and communication could be considered an author.

Differences:

• It is hard for me to think of people being an “author” because they post blogs and post statuses and updates on Facebook.
• I think that the term “author” is considered someone that calls himself an author, if they do not consider themselves an author then I don’t think they would be one.

       Writers:                      Authors:

Anyone can be a writer, doesn’t take anything	They need to think critically
Maybe someone who has to write or someone who doesn’t want to take credit for the work	Wants other people to see their work and be acknowledged for it
Isn’t looking to be published	Often seeks for work to be published
Someone who writes for fun or for themselves	Writes for an audience, wants it to be seen
Not as interested in the writing because perfect	Wants their work to be perfect because others will see it

Types of Writing: Why you Enjoy/Despise it:

School essays	Don’t Like- having to write when I probably don’t want to and have to be done on a certain time and usually on a topic you didn’t decide
Shopping lists	Like- Helps me remember what I need to buy, don’t get stuff I don’t need
Poem	Like- it can be anything you want and can be something fun

Genres:

To-Do list:

• Drive to the store
• Pitch in money
• Help collect supplies we need
• Help write invitations

Poem:

Will you please drive me to the store

And pitch in dollars (or more)

I need help collecting supplies,

And inviting all the guys.

All of this needs to get done,

But in the end the party will be fun!

Song Lyrics:

I need some help, will you please lend an ear

While I spit some things ya’ll need to hear

I need a car to drive to the store

Pitch in some money, we’ll score,

Big time, I swear!

Find something to wear

for the turn-up tonight!

We’ll need some more supplies

can we collect them with all our might?

Lastly, please help me. Please, please, please...

With writing some invitations

we can do this wit ease!

And have a great time at the party tonight

we’ll turn-up with all our might.

The To-Do list helped you be super straight forward and get right to what you need to do, it is a lot easier to understand. It is less fun and is less detailed than the other genres to use. You can’t really get distracted with what you need to do and what you need to get done.

The Poem and also the Song/Rap are both more fun than just a list and having them rhyme or just be a goofy or serious way to get what you need to get done it could also be a lot easier to remember because it is more memorable. The drawback to the Poem and the Lyrics is that they are not as straightforward and to the point and you could get distracted on what you need to do.

Colaborative Writing on Writing

Writing is...
A way to express oneself. 
An unlimited opportunity for creativity.
An expression of style.
Thoughts arranged as stories.
A way to connect and inform others.

What types of writing do you do?
Journalism, creative writing, poetry, song writing, formal research papers, informative, comedic, children's story books.

How does your persona shift depending on your audience and why?
Language changes with your audience- play to the tones of your readers.
The more relatable you are to your audience, the more your writing will appeal.
Your tone changes the meaning of your writing.