Post 3

Imagining writing as "individual, isolated, heroic" can give that sense that every time a piece of writing is being made it must have those types of qualities.  That every time a piece of literature is being created, it must have complete originality and be uninfluenced by other writings surrounding it.  The reading "Intertextuality and the Discourse Community" explains that all writings are influenced, in some way, by previous literature.  Whether this is conscious or subconscious, the way that we all write is formed and put together by all the previous writings we have read throughout our lives and literary careers.  So, the idea of writing a piece that is completely "individual" is unattainable all together when critiqued by these standards.  This can be harmful because it gives the sense that every writing is being plagiarized in some way.  As an inexperienced writer, hearing that the ideas you are using for your own writing belong to someone else can give the impression that you are doing something wrong.