When it comes to writing, whether creative or research I can always think of a few places I don’t ever want to be cooped up in: the library or the classroom. As someone who struggles with ADD, I can understand the added benefits that writing on location or just even somewhere you feel comfortable and relaxed can have on the mind. In order for me to focus on a subject and get something done, the emptiness and “hush hushness” of a library or classroom doesn’t have enough stimulation for me to focus. Most would disagree with me and still prefer the library because of its quiet nature. Prof. Olin Bjork a professor of English at Santa Clara University authored the essay “Writing in the Wild” and Bjork comes to some good conclusions about the new age of writing and how we can embrace technology to help us write with more empathy and experience. We have already witness laptops over take desktop computers and the next step is the tablets taking over laptops. All this new technology is what allows us to get our work done anywhere and anytime. While writing in the wild you have an endless supply of material to be inspired by and to jolt your thinking juices. Writing onsite allows people to fully experience the emotion and realness of the situation you are researching or observing. This technology allows all of us to attempt to be a primary source and not just realize new information though others and their secondary accounts. Another interesting fact is that, when you do work in new and innovative environments you make new mental connections which allow you to remember and store the information you are working with. Say for example if you like to write in the park; every time you see a certain type of tree or feature that reminds you of the park, you will be able to pull up that new connection with the material you researched or wrote about. Now teachers can provide more access to stimulation that in turn, help facilitate better and more empathetic writing.

Here is a sweet TED talk on the brain….