Journal #3

In "Scrapbooks as Cultural Texts: An American Art of Memory", Katriel and Ferrel argue the scrapbooks are in fact everyday writing due to the day to day aspect of the pictures and captions as they relate to a person's life. I believe that though scrapbooks can be considered everyday writing, it is the captions, rather than the pictures alone, that make it so. There could be scrapbooks or possibly collages that have no words and could be identified by Katriel and Ferrel as everyday writing, but I would argue that point because they don't actually have any writing in them.

I can see how "zines" could be considered by some to be everyday in that they are unschooled and untaught but they don't necessarily have writing in them and would be a stretch to my current idea of what everyday writing actually is.

Scrapbooks and Zines

Before reading Katriel and Farrell’s “Scrapbooks as Cultural Texts: An American Art of Memory,” I thought there would be no way to argue how scrapbooks are everyday writing, for writing involves words. However after reading the text I believe the authors have changed my mind. They created much support and well thought out arguments for how scrapbooks fall into the genre of history and how scrapbooks require a unique style and creative thoughts by the author, which are both extremely important factors which make up everyday writing. The two authors go into detail about how scrapbooks can be a way for someone to narrate there own life through the form of pictures, for they hold memories and stories in a book, just like so many forms of everyday writing.

I also believe that Zines are examples of everyday writing, for they are a way for someone to expand on their own thoughts and experiences in a magazine format. Because these zines are personal and created however the author wishes, they can have a unique structure, or style, which truly exemplify the everyday writing of the author. Just like scrapbooks, the pictures the author chooses to include in their own zine can tell a story just like writings in a more traditional form of everyday writing.

Journal #3

In our conversations about everyday writing it can be added that scrapbooks are a type of writing thanks to Katriel and Farrell. I believe that there is an argument for both sides of this; whether or not a scrapbook can be determined as everyday writing.

The argument against considering the scrapbook as a form of everyday writing would be simple; a scrapbook is just pictures, so it should be considered art and not writing. Everyday writing should have much more writing than there are pictures. Then the argument stalls at this point.

The argument to consider a scrapbook as everyday writing, on the other hand, could be formulated along the lines that a scrapbook tells a story. The interpretation of the pictures in the scrapbook can change every time someone looks through it. Just like reading a book or a textbook, the more you reread the text other things will become apparent. How the writer organizes the pictures can point to how the writer wants the reader to see their work. The writer could use the scrapbook as means of telling a story through a memory and with captions underneath to guide the reader.

I would choose the latter argument and support scrapbooks as a form of everyday writing. But it surely does not mean that the conversation is over about it.

Journal #3

 After reading "Katriel and Farrel--Scrapbooks" I would believe scrapbooks to be everyday writing. Scrapbooks contain mostly pictures, which may not be interpreted as writing. But just like everyday writing it must be edited, read, interpreted, and have an author. The only difference i can see between a scrapbook and a personal journal is the use of pictures instead of words. One would immediately identify a personal journal as a form of everyday writing, just because of the use of words. However, as many people know, a picture can tell a thousand words.
 Just a few paragraphs into the article Katriel and Farrel propose a new genre of everyday writing, Life History. The genre of self. This genre is home to almost all autobiographical texts, one of which is scrapbooks. Scrapbooks are, as said by the article, "the social construction of the self through time and the transformation of experience through material readily at hand". This new theory of Life History as everyday writing adds much to our class discussions of everyday writing. Not only does this add a new and concrete genre to build upon but also gives us an example to propose other genre's upon. Before this article we thought of genres such as political, personal, informational, etc. Our now new definition of the Life History genre is much more complex and specific than our previously broad and redundant definitions of the "advertising" genre. Not only does this change our perception of genres but also our view of what is qualified as everyday writing. Previously, we were hesitant to include pictures as a part of everyday writing. With this new article it is hard to dispute that pictures are not a part of everyday writing. Katriel and Farrel have improved our viewpoint of everyday writing greatly.

Journal #3

After considering Katriel & Farrell's analysis of scrap-booking and the text on Zines, I believe that scrapbooks and zines both qualify as everyday writing. Some may argue that a scrapbook contains more pictures than words, and therefore not count. But words, just like the things one would find in a scrapbook, are images used to convey ideas. Katriel & Farrell state that  one must save, organize, and present the parts of their scrapbook. That is the same thing one does with words: take the ones you have, organize them, and then present them. 
Also, Scrap-booking is not usually something formally taught, and, as we discussed in class, everyday writing is something non-institutionalized. Lately, in class we have been focusing on the non-digital forms of everyday writing, which zines and scrapbooks certainly count as. 
One problem I have with counting scrapbooks as everyday writing is that, as the text said, a scrapbook needs to be performed. Looking through a scrapbook is the "skeletal" form of the story. The creator holds the majority of the meaning behind the things on the page, and without them there to explain, the reader doesn't fully understand. I'm not sure whether or not the meaning has to be fully expressed in text for something to be considered everyday writing. 

Journal # 3

Katriel and Farrell argue that the idea of scrapbooking can be an example of what is known as the “genre of self.” By the authors, it is believed that just as everyday writing can be placed into a genre, so can a scrapbook as well. Scrapbooks can be utilized as a form of self-narration and as a form of significance. Creating scrapbooks are useful in helping to narrate a person’s life from birth to present day, or simply as an assigned school project. Like Emily had mentioned, "scrapbooking can be used as a tool for memory" that can help a person to reminisce about important events in someone’s life for all to see.

Although many people mentioned that they would not consider a scrapbook to be everyday writing because it contains little to no words, I would have to disagree. I believe scrapbooks can be an example of everyday writing because it still has a purpose of being able to convey some type of thought, feeling, or message. I also think that a Zine can be considered everyday writing because it is a type of personal publication that can communicate some form of idea or thought process. Since a magazine can be a form of everyday writing, and a Zine is basically your own do it yourself magazine publication, I would constitute a Zine as everyday writing. Although a Zine is not marked by “skill” because it is a DIY, you do not necessarily need skill in order to write things that are considered “everyday.”

Journal #3

The article by Katriel and Farrell’s correlates with topics we have spoken of in class and proves that scrapbooking is a form of everyday writing. Scrapbooks are everyday writing because they are used to exemplify everyday situations in ones life. Towards the beginning of the article it states a quote that I agree with. “In mainstream American culture, scrapbooks represent an established mode of self narration commonly found among young people.” I think that this shows that scrapbooking is a form of everyday writing because it states it is self-narration and I believe that is basically what everyday writing essentially is.  Although scrapbooks normally have little to no words in this I don’t think this holds them back from being a form of everyday writing. I believe that pictures can tell more of a story with what it is showing that words would be able to in some situations. Another characteristic that scrapbooks hold of everyday writing is that it is not taught by an institution rather than family members, friends or ones self as Emily points out.

Zines are more controversial when it comes to them being everyday writing or not but I do believe that one could say zines are everyday writing. As I said earlier an institution does not teach everyday writing and zines definitely are not taught in an institution. In my option zines are used to document different parts of your day and share it with people. Another big thing that makes zines everyday writing as Cristina points out is that “Zines is an original piece of work and cant be compared with that of a professional magazine” I thoroughly agree with this because I think this shows that everyday writing isn’t as formal as other forms of writing and zine isn’t a very formal thing which could help it be considered everyday writing. 

Journal 3 - Scrapbooking and Zines

In the first piece regarding scrapbooking, Katriel and Farrell contribute to the idea that scrapbooking is a from of everyday writing.  During our last couple of classes, we discussed "everyday writing" as possessing certain attributes. Some of these characteristics are prevalent in scrapbooking.  To begin with, scrapbooking could be considered every day because it is relatively easy for any person to acquire the material needed to create one.  In addition, the skill of scrapbooking is more often not taught in institutions but through family, friends, and one's own creativity.  Also, the fact that their are few boundaries regarding the guidelines of creating a scrapbook make it more everyday. Claire stated a good point when saying that since scrapbooking is considered "a genre to self", it is evident that scrapbooks represent people's personal lives and memories, which only add to make it a form of everyday writing.

The only characteristic of a scrapbook page which would make it's everyday writing validity questionable is the fact that they have little to no words.  Though in my opinion, I would still classify these prints as everyday writing because they still clearly convey messages.  They are documentations of memories, that can be shared with people later down the years.  The pictures in this case speak the story.  It would safe to conclude scrapbooking as being everyday, although I would not consider Zines such.  Though they are relatively easier to make than magazines one would find in a grocery store and they  acquire few skills to be created, they are simply not a popular form or writing.  I would consider them not everyday simply because unlike scrapbooking, they are not yet greatly embraced socially and culturally.  An average, 'everyday' person would not think to go online and make a zine to convey a message. Instead they would turn to a different avenue, such as scrapbooking, blogging, or letter writing. 

Katriel and Farrell

This introduced the element of one's personal being into everyday writing. Scrapbooks are everyday writing because they allow the reader to reflect on times gone by with a fondness of memory as well as give a snapshot on the present state of local culture at that time. Scrapbooks often also include annotations which make them an undeniable part of everyday "writing" ad this placement of photos mixed with annotations leads to a ritual that stirs emotion. They also become a piece of historical documentation as future generations will look upon them and see how people they know and care for looked and acted in the past.

Journal 3

Katriel & Farrell contribute the topic of scarpbooking on our conversation about everyday writing. Scarpbooking is used by many people in order to preserve memories. At the begging of the reading, theres a quote, "Whenever I make my scrapbook, I always keep the thought in the back of my mind that ill be able to show my children exactly what I was doing." I like this quote to due how true that statement is. You can use scrapbooking as a way to show everyday writing you performed in the past. By scrapbooking pictures every year and then eventually sharing those with you're children you can show them what you were doing at their age. You can show them you're everyday writing you performed at their age. I like how Lonnie said, "even though scrapbooks are not the normal "everyday" it contains many things that are the memory of one's everyday and can be debated as an everyday piece of work." I completely agree with that because everyday writing is limited to one form of writing, it varies to a wide variety. 

I believe that scrapbooks and Zines are examples of everyday writing. Many people might argue that they aren't a piece of everyday writing but they have many features of everyday writing in them. Yes, a scrapbook might not be all words but it still has some and can have pictures in them. Just like the saying, "a picture is worth a thousand words," a picture can leave more of an impression and thought into somebody's head that say a book can. Zines should be considered everyday writing because they can be anything you want as it said in the passage. A Zine can be anything you want to create and thats is what everyday writing has a lot to do with. As Katelin said, "they give you general guidelines and tips on how to construct a zine, but you are not being formally taught how to make one." Everyday writing is about something you just do. You don't always have to be taught how to make everyday writing.

Journal #3

In Katriel and Farrell’s article titled “Scrapbooks as Cultural Texts: An American Art of Memory,” they state that the process of creating a scrapbook involves saving particular items from one’s everyday life for a future scrapbook. These saved items “are visible traces of events in the owner’s ongoing life.” From this, one could claim that scrapbooks can be viewed as a personal depiction of our lives. In this way, scrapbooks may be considered everyday writing because they consist of items from our everyday lives and also may be shared on a regular basis with others.

In regards to everyday writing, the article suggests that everyday writing encompasses items or works that have a place or function in our everyday lives. Through scrapbooking, we are telling our individual story through mementos or tokens that have a special meaning in our life. Personally, I think that scrapbooking epitomizes everyday writing because it documents what we do and say throughout our lives. On the other hand, a “zine,” which is defined as a self-made magazine of sorts, may also be considered everyday writing because it is something that one would encounter often (possibly everyday) and may even read through frequently. As Taylor noted, everyday writing cannot be taught in an institution. This fact solidifies the argument that scrapbooks and “zines” are examples of everyday writing because making a scrapbook cannot be taught in an institution and a “zine” is intended to be an original piece of work and not to be compared with a professionally published magazine. 

Journal 3

Katriel & Farrell raise many good points about how scrapbooking can be considered everyday writing in “Scrapbooking as Cultural Texts: An American Art of Memory.”  According to the text scrapbooking is considered to be a separate genre and a tool that is used by most every family in order to preserve some memories in a tangible form.  They also talk about how people scrapbook for different reasons.  I thought it was interesting how they even pointed out that although many guys claim to have never scrapbooked, the majority of fraternity houses do in fact keep scrapbooks of some kind.  This can also lead to the argument that even within the genre of scrapbooking there may in fact be sub-genres.  I believe and agree with Katelin that scrapbooking is not something that is learned.  In effect of scrapbooking not being learned, I believe that that is why there are so many different kinds of scrapbooks.  I also believe that they are considered to be everyday writing because we defined everyday writing as something that is not learned and that can be done by using random everyday supplies.

                I also believe that zines are the everyday writing as well for the same reasons that Emily believes.  Zines are homemade and made by non-professionals.  Unlike scrapbooks, zines use words and stories to translate a message while in scrapbooks the pictures do the story telling.  I don’t believe that everyday writing has to necessarily have words.  I believe that everyday writing just needs to be effective at translating a message to a reader.

Journal 3

     According to Katriel and Farrell, scrapbooks can be classified as “a genre of self”. In class we talked about different genres and how they relate to everyday writing. Scrapbooks are everyday writing in my opinion because we do not learn how to scrapbook from an “institution”, which we said makes things not everyday writing. You are communicating your ideas and memories through pictures and other memorabilia. It is arguable that scrapbooks are not everyday writing due to their lack of words but I don’t believe that matters.

     It is also my belief that a “zine” is one hundred percent a piece of everyday writing. In the article it describes how they are a do it yourself type of project. It is left to your discretion to put what you want in it. They give you general guidelines and tips on how to construct a zine, but again, you are not being formally taught how to make one. Unlike a magazine, a zine is an original piece of work for the sole purpose of you. You are communicating some sort of ideas in a magazine like way.

Journal Entry 3

    The article made a great debate and even established facts on why each contributor believed Scrapbooks and Magazines were a part of everyday writing. Yet, here is my opinion, Scrapbooks and magazines can be argued to be a form of everyday writing. Even though scrapbooks are not the normal "everyday" it contains many things that are the memory of one's everyday and can be debated as an everyday piece of work. In some cases writing may not be overly involved, it can still be presented as something everyday and as a print text. It meets standard everyday writing criteria even though it may not have many or any words involved.

    Magazines are also everyday writing. They are very commonplace and something we regularly encounter and contains information about someone's everyday. Even if it may not be directly to us it is still someone's everyday and i believe that is valid enough of a point to debate it as a form of everyday writing. However in some cases magazines can not be print, as the use of technology is involved in making and producing.

Journal Entry 3

Katriel and Farrell contribute to our conversation about everyday writing because they talk about how scrapbooking is self narration and life review. We self narrate every day. Anything we post on social media, blog about, or journal about is self narration. You are talking about your life and the things happening inside of it. Scrapbooking is also used as a tool for memory. Remembering events and letting other people know what you want them to remember is a prime reason as to why we write.  I personally see scrapbooks as just a collage of pictures with occasional blurbs of writing. I have many scrapbook in my house that my mother made and none of them contain a great amount of writing. So are scrapbooks everyday writing?

I do not think scrapbooks are an example of everyday writing. They have some elements of what everyday writing is, however, I think that writing has to involve a decent amount of words. I'm not saying that everyday writing has to be paragraphs long, but there should be complete sentences and structure to it. The writing in my scrapbooks are mainly just dates and who was there when the pictures were taken. Another thing is, I don't think scrapbooking is all that common. Everyday writing is common things we do on a regular basis. My mom used to scrapbook like once a month maybe. I don't think that constitutes as everyday writing. I think zines are pieces of everyday writing. I picked up that a zine is a homemade magazine made by non professional writers. As we discussed in class, you don't have to be paid to be a writer. A magazine, in my opinion, is a grouping of stories and pictures designed for entertainment or information. Scrapbooks are different because they have pictures but don't have any stories. Although zines are probably not all that common, I think they posses more qualities of everyday writing than scrapbooks do.

Journal #3 Scrapbooks and Zines as Everyday Writing

       Katriel and Farrell begin their article on scrapbooks by explaining how scrapbooks can be classified as “a genre of self”. They explain how, similar to everyday writing, scrapbooks experience a mode of self narration.  Taylor mentions how everyday writing can fit into multiple genres, and I  would argue that Katriel and Farrell believe scrapbooks can be put in multiple genres of “self” as well. Scrapbooks have a uniqueness about them, which differs from other everyday writing texts, they express a culturally shared genre. Typically, a scrapbook is seen as a collaboration of pictures, possibly from a certain stage in life. For example, a scrapbook might be just of a child’s first year. In this specific scrapbook, the maker (of the scrapbook) might choose to have the first page be a picture of the child’s birth. And from there, add mementos such as the hospital band and maybe include a caption under the picture with the baby’s height and weight. The next few pages would be the baby’s first month, second month etc. following a chronological order. I feel that Katriel and Farrell contribute to our conversations in class about everyday writing because they are using the works of scrapbooking as an everyday thing and are establishing descriptions of how scrapbooking can be personal to the person making the book and or the person sharing the book. They even describe scrapbooks to be, “a masking of autonomy amid the pretenses of a commodified age”. They explain that a scrapbooks “aim” is, “the unity and coherence of life for a developing character” which I found to be particularly interesting. Given, the scrapbook acquires a certain period of a persons life on a personal level, I would argue a scrapbook can be seen as an everyday text.

       I would argue a “zine” is also a piece of everyday writing. The website describes a zine as a “DIY magazine” and I think that makes it more everyday then a typical magazine you would purchase at the grocery check out line. A magazine contains articles and stories we might read once or twice, but it appears a zine has more value since it is so original. It serves more of a purpose than a 60 page magazine, partially filled with advertisements and perfume samples.  

Journal #3

Katriel & Farrell contribute to our conversations about everyday writing by putting scrapbooks into a category of "Genre of self". This relates to our discussions because most everyday writing can fit into a certain (or even multiple) genre(s). They also argued that scrapbooks are considered texts because they are "distinguished by their principle of aesthetic organization." Although in class we agreed that everyday writing is unrelated to institutional learning, there are still steps that need to be taught in order to make a successful scrapbook; but these are usually taught through friends and family.
I think that scrapbooks are everyday writing because they are very casual texts that are in no way related (or taught) by an institution. They are also not marked as a "skill", therefore anyone can make a scrapbook. This being said: I do not believe that magazines are everyday writing because the skills needed to create a magazine layout, etc. have to be taught by an institution in order to create a successful magazine (unlike scrapbooks).

Journal #2

The people of Shenandoah National Park are most defiantly writers. These letters were a way for the Shenandoah people to communicate with the park officials as Aubrey said. They wrote to find out what the rules and regulations were and to also ask for services from the government. In the question of who counts, as being a writer is a difficult question.  This is so because anyone can be a writer technically. Anyone can pick up a pen and paper, write a letter, and be considered a "writer." Even if its just writing down a couple sentence's on down you're still somewhat of a writer in my book. I like how Jami said, " In my option every person has the capability to become a writer but that does not mean everyone is." Coming off of what Jami said, if you're are talking about a writer as in a author or of any other published sort of writer than who falls into the category of being a writer will very because those are more of a true writer.