Deborah Brandt opens the reading by stating that knowledge is a new, upcoming, and important part of the economy. It has the possibility of being more important than any type of material good, possibly even money itself. She connects the ability to read and write effectively with knowledge, and recognizing that, while they are not one and the same, they go very closely together to complement one another. Writing is one of the most popular ways that information is spread from one person to the next, and it is also the most effective way to accumulate wealth.
The author continues to expand one the writing economy, citing that people with a job that is defined as “writing intensive” write for at least 30% of their work day. Brandt goes on to talk about her experiences with interviewing several people who use writing daily in their work. These include attorneys, scientists, editors, and mortgage brokers.
People who hold careers that are writing-heavy are intensely important to today’s knowledge economy. Brandt said as much, stating that writing is more and more associated with economic productivity. Connecting back to our last class discussion, the author mentions that the more focused on writing our economy becomes, the more stress is placed on innovation and productivity.
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