Monday, May 4, 2015

May 4: Writing Prompt #124-It’s a Text, Text, Text World

How do you communicate differently online than in person, if at all? How do you communicate emotion and intent in a purely written medium?
I still haven’t gotten fully drawn into the texting thing yet. Most days I don’t even look at my phone except before and after work and when it rings or dings (that is, if it’s near me…I don’t have it on my person at all times).  As far as texting goes, that doesn’t even happen on a daily basis.  In fact, looking at my phone just now…the last time I sent or received a text was on May 1st.  Looking back further, sometimes I’ve gone 9 or 10 days without texting at all.  One of the reasons why I probably don’t text very much could be because I’m too wordy. I text the same way I write and talk…in great detail and with attention to proper grammar and complete sentences. J   This is not to say I don’t ever use an LOL or u, 2, or other type of texting shorthand, but mostly, I write it all out, just like I do here.  Emotion…I use smiley faces a lot, but not much else. 

Having been an English teacher at the college level in a former life, I would say most people write how they talk, and the same goes for me.  I enjoyed reading the papers students wrote for my classes because it was fun to “hear” their voices through their writing.  I could literally “listen” to them in my head as I was reading.  In person, I may sum up a story with less detail because of interruptions or people who I know are busy and don’t have time to listen to the whole scenario. I may shed a tear, show anxiety or anger in my facial expressions or be unable to contain a sharp, short tone of voice if I am stressed, but other than that, I write just how I talk. 

No comments: