Do Not Be Afraid of Digital Content

(Image from PNGTree.com)

            When digital writers begin working with tools that enhance their work, many start to hesitate with concern or worry. This is not because they doubt their ideas, but because many tools used to create can feel intimidating.

            Let us be honest: Technological tools are complex. Does this mean we should not use them? Absolutely not.

In section 4.6, “Don’t Be Afraid of Adobe,” Daniel Lawrence challenges the "hesitation" directly. His argument goes beyond software tutorials, but focuses on changing your mindset. It is about taking your writing and creating a “bigger” picture for your audience. It is not just about learning various software to put to use. 

In Digital Writing: A Guide to Writing for Social Media and the Web, Lawrence (2022) pushes the idea that digital writing today is more than words on a screen. When you are "writing online", it is important to understand the impact of digital implications. What does this mean? It means, as a creator, you must start thinking about the layout, visuals, movement, branding, and the audience you are trying to attract with your digital content. As we can see everywhere in the world (whether we like it or not) communication now is more visual and interactive. So by ignoring these tools that help shape that product, we begin to limit how “powerful” the message we are trying to portray can be. 

Avoiding Adobe (or any creative tool) usually is not about time. It is about confidence. We tell ourselves, “I am not creative like that,” or “That is too technical for me.” Research shows that engaging with digital tools actually strengthens everyones digital literacy skills. No matter the age. A recent study by Soufghalem et al. (2024) found that when students (people) actively use technology to create content-their ability to communicate clearly and think critically improves.

When you design a graphic, you think about clarity.

When you edit a video, you think about pacing and timing.

When you create something in Illustrator, you consider balance and visual impact.

In all these projects you consult your audience and the engagement goal.

Another recent article by Kimmons and Rosenberg (2022) emphasizes that digital literacy is no longer optional in education or professional spaces. Yet, it is found more of a "foundational" piece. If we want students (or ourselves) to communicate effectively in today’s 21st century learning-world, we have to move beyond “text-only” thinking. That does not mean everyone needs to become a professional designer, but it does mean we should not hide behind the excuse that “I am just a writer” or “I cannot do it”. 

It is important to remember, that to complete digital writing, you do not have to be a professional or create a "magazine" ready graphic. Starting simple and experimenting builds confidence and digital literacy. There are many sources out there to help you discover various tools. For example, here is a beginner-friendly tutorial playlist that walks through fundamental features of Adobe Photoshop.

From my perspective, especially as someone who values technology within education, this section of our text and additional references mentioned, connects deeply to the “mindset” of using technology. As a educator, we are constantly being watched as professionals "models". When it comes to digital media usages/creation, if we model curiosity and willingness to learn, even imperfectly, we create a culture where experimentation is normal.

The goal is not a mastery-skill that you can obtain overnight. It is all about exposure. Tools like Adobe can feel overwhelming, but the fear usually fades once you click around and experiment.

The deeper argument within this section can be summed up in this statement: Digital Writers should not avoid tools that stretch them. 

Let us look at "Don't Be Afraid of Adobe" through a different lens and change it to "Don't Be Afraid to Expand Your Skills".

For a simple view on the emphasis behind this post- from initial intimidation to building a creative confidence- see the infographic attached.

Happy Creating! 

(Infographic created by author of this blog)

References

Kimmons, R., & Rosenberg, J. M. (2022). Teaching and learning in the digital age: Advancing digital literacy for educators. Educational Technology Research and Development, 70(3), 1121–1138. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-022-10106-8

Lawrence, D. (2022). Digital writing: A guide to writing for social media and the web. Broadview Press.

Soufghalem, L., Nouri, J., & Saqr, M. (2024). Developing students’ digital literacy through technology-enhanced learning: A systematic review. Computers & Education, 200, 104798. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2023.104798

Will Paterson. (2023, August 29). Adobe Illustrator for

The Digital Writing Process

    (Image from Dreamstime.com)

            Have you ever posted something online, came back to it later, and thought, “I could have said that better.”? Well, you are on the right track of understanding the digital writing process. When you are writing for the web it is more than producing a perfect final draft like you would in your basic English 101 class. Instead, the focus is on moving through a process. This process consists of four steps categorized as: drafting, editing, reviewing and publishing. In the text, Digital Writing: A Guide to Writing for Social Media and the Web, Lawrence (2022) makes it clear that digital writing is “recursive”. This simply means that each step informs the next step rather than coming to an ending. Once you see writing through this lens it becomes less intimidating and far more attainable.

The Prewriting/Draft

            The first step is drafting. This is a space for the writer to create and make mistakes. The goal is not to develop a “picture perfect” writing sample but to get ideas out where they can be shaped into a product. The focus of planning a writing product (digitally or written) is to make sure you create a connection with your audience who will read the writing and match the tone you are trying to set or meet. Lawrence (2022) emphasizes that drafting online is exploratory which allows writers to “try” ideas before committing to them fully in the final product. 

Let's Talk About Edits

The next step in the process is known as the editing phase. When writing digitally, compared to written expression, it is important to notice the type of reading people look for online. The best digital writing experiences involve those readings with short paragraphs, clear ideas, and an organzine look that creates an easy read. Also in this stage, you are turning your draft into a more cohesive and intentional product. While you are fixing mistakes such as grammatical errors you are also shaping the look, detail, and meaning of your writing.

Time To Review

Now, you move into the next step in this process which is the review phase. This is one of the most important parts of the process as you make your writing come to “life”. Remember what the author says in the text as he describes this process as an ongoing interaction not a “final check” (Lawrence, 2022). Now is the time to ask yourself questions regarding your writing as you read the product. 

1. Does it have a clear purpose? 

2. Is this meeting the needs of the audience? 

3. Have you checked it various times? 

4. Have you had someone else read through it? 

5. Have you posted (shared) it yet on a platform and gotten any feedback? 

            These questions and points are widely supported by various researchers with the purpose that online peer feedback significantly improves writing quality (Shulgina et al., 2024). 

Oh! It Is Publishing Time

The final step is the publishing phase. In writing, most people would consider this as the last step, but when completing the Digital Writing Process, you are not finished. Many would say, you may just be “really” getting started. Once you have published (shared) your product, you can review, revise, and rethink your writing. By publishing your writing you are inviting conversations and thinking, which in return, can impact your edits or future writings. An important thing to take into consideration (especially when taking the resources into account) is to remember that digital writing is not about getting it right the first time, but it is about staying open minded and willing to make continuous revisions to your product. Making connections with further research, Shulgina et al. (2024) shows that ongoing peer interactions after publication encourage writers to make meaningful revisions, demonstrating that even published work is part of the continuous learning process.

Are You A Teacher?

             Check out this video about a school (Eastside Memorial High School) and how their ESL Teacher uses digital writing in her classroom.

Wrap-Up/Conclusion

By connecting Lawrence’s (2022) explanation of digital writing as recursive, the findings from Shulgina et al. (2024) on peer feedback, we can see a complete picture of writing in action. These three resources illustrate that digital writing is a moving process that goes in all directions.

(Image from Thoughtful Learning)

References

Lawrence, D. (2022). Digital writing: A guide to writing for social media and the web. Broadview Press.

The writing process at work [Video]. (2018). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJP_q3X2v

Shulgina, T. A., Smirnova, E. V., & Karpova, E. V. (2024). The role of online peer feedback in improving         students’ writing quality. Education and Information Technologies, 29(1), 1045–1063.                                 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11968-5