Writing as a Way of Being

Book excerpt: In this careful examination of the nature of writing, Robert Yagelski demonstrates that the experience of writing, apart from the text that is produced through writing, can be deeply transformative for both individuals and communities. Writing as a Way of Being presents a dramatic new way to understand writing as an ontological act at a time of unprecedented social, educational, and environmental change. This book offers hope in the form of a pedagogy of writing as an ethical practice of being in the world. It describes a way to harness the power of writing so that writing instruction can become part of a broader effort to imagine and create a more just and sustainable future.