How Technology Can Improve Your Writing
By:
Max Hunsaker
The life of a young writer isn't always an easy one. Constantly
improving upon a rough draft, struggling to reach a class deadline, or
trying to get published, are but a few of the obstacles we face.
Luckily, our problems are being elevated by today's modern technology.
The internet is quietly opening new doors for writers of all ages.
Changes have already taken place in commerce, education, and
entertainment through the magic of the internet. Virtually every
person has access to the internet. Most public libraries and many of
our schools already have internet access and are just waiting to be
utilized by students. If you don't have the internet in your own home,
locate one of these places and see what you can find. Perhaps this
column will act as a guide in your search. All it takes today is a few
extra minutes and desire to find all of the material you need to be a
successful writer.
First, we will discuss how to use the internet for those who may just
be starting. Second, for more advanced surfers, I will list some very
good writing and publishing sites.
Now is the time to address a shortcoming of the internet that is
often displayed in the media. For all of the good, wholesome areas of
the world wide web, there is a small percentage of places that are
inappropriate for underage viewers. Don't let this material scare you
from learning to use the internet as a supplement to your education.
You have to actively and willing seek out these improper places to
find them. If you keep your intentions good, you should be safe. But
if for some reason you do come across an area that you are
uncomfortable with; leave that place. Leaving is just as easy as
coming in, and it's the best way to protect yourself.
With that taken care of, we can put all of our energy into finding
the best writing sites on the web. Before you even start using the
internet, you should be on the lookout for site addresses. Many times
companies and contests include a web address with their written
materials. Start a collection of places that interest you. The best
way to find the sites that will give you the most help is to do the
research yourself. A search engine is the most effective way to do
this. Just try typing in some of the following addresses in the bar
that says "Go to". These sites all basically do the same thing, but
there are subtle differences that will set them apart for you.
Experiment with these and find one that fits your style.
http://www.excite.com
http://www.yahoo.com
http://www.lycos.com
http://www.infoseek.com
http://www.altavista.digital.com
http://www.webcrawler.com
Once you find the search engine that suits you best, explore the
internet for sites that interest and help you.
For those of you who already knew all of this information, Iım sure
youıre always looking for a new site to check out. Three very
beneficial site for young writers are:
http://www.writes.org/netscape/index.html
http://www.teenpaper.org,
and http://www.inkspot.com.
Writes of Passage (http://www.writes.org/netscape/index.html)
is very
nice looking site with many opportunities to get your work published
and to read the writing of other teen writers. It also has many links
to college and high school newspapers, online dictionaries, and a host
of other useful sites.
The 21st Century (http://www.teenpaper.org)
is a teen newspaper with
both an online and print version. It's sections include fiction,
nonfiction, poetry, book and music reviews, sports, community
service, art, photography, the environment and more. It has a
great deal of helpful links as well. This would be a good site to pass
along to a teacher. It has a great deal of enjoyable teacher
resources.
Inkspot (http://www.inkspot.com/)
doesn't publish work, but is full
of places that do. It also has links to sites that will help you to
improve your writing. The entire site is great for writers of all
ages, but it also has a section dedicated to young writers. This
section specializes in internet sites and other subjects that are
especially prudent to young writers. This site has more information
than can be described here, so go and take a look for yourself!
They only way to survive and thrive in todayıs society is to master
the technology it craves. We need to start learning these things while
still in school. By using these sites, we will all have opportunities
to improve our writing and get some attention with it. Most
importantly, the internet aids us in getting the tools that will stop
us from getting discouraged with the rejections of writing. A man
named Richard Bach said "A professional writer is an amateur that
didn't quit." If all we ever do is remember this, success is our
destiny.
About the Writer of this Article: Max Hunsaker is from Riverton Utah and attends the 10th grade at Bingham High School. He's sixteen-years-old. Max's fiction story Disneyland, Leprosy, and Jack In the Box also appears in this issue.