The scratch of the pen on blue paper - now replaced by the click of the keys. A loss of some sensual pleasure once gained from the actual physical act of writing, replaced of course by speed and convenience - so easy to correct misspellings!  So easy to delete or cut and paste.  One of my personal favorites:  the cross out. So you can see what that original thought but know it's been changed to something better.  And of course, the access to audience!  No need to search for a publisher, or even to send paper through the mail.  More speed and convenience.  Everyone's a writer now...everyone was a writer before, but many were too lazy, too reluctant, too shy to share. Now we can twitter our every thought across the social media universe. Here's what I think.  Isn't it profound, or witty, or at the very least, interesting?

Computers and internet have exploded the lines of communication, and encouraged us to share our thoughts with others in a low risk way.  It's a good thing.  But I still pictures writers as people who sit quietly, dipping the pen in ink and scrawling the words across a page, crossing out words, lines, whole paragraphs, rethinking as they go. Occasionally wadding up the whole page and starting all over again.  Creating, sharing thoughts and feelings, sometimes offering new information but often just sparking that feeling in us of "oh yea, I remember that."