Inquiry Into "Finsta" Accounts As Everyday Writing

What makes "finsta" accounts a form of everyday writing is that the content posted on them places "attention to the mundane, ubiquitous writing practices of the non-elite, the marginalized, and the invisible" (Yancey 2). "Finsta'' accounts allow anyone to share their writing. You do not have to be rich, popular, etc. to make and post on a "finsta account." The form invites people of all backgrounds to join and share intimate and personal information. Additionally, the writing posted on the accounts is self-motivated and is not required by any institution. This too, according to Yancey, makes the form fit into the definition of everyday writing. It is also worthy to note a few other aspects of "finsta" posts that allow them to fall into the everyday writing category. Yancey explains in her writing that everyday writing is often personal, multimodal, responsive, intimate, autonomous, and sparks conversation (Yancey 19). "Finsta'' posts do all of those things. "Finsta" posts are personal and intimate because of the gritty, honesty of the diary-like entries in the captions and images posted. The writing (both alphabetic and visual) on the posts reveals a different, more open, and honest side of the user. The posts are also autonomous in that they are only able to be created by the owner of the account and there are no requirements that the user post specific content. Furthermore, "finsta" accounts are heavily multimodal and they are responsive and spark communication. The blending of images, text, and user interaction with followers makes "finsta" posts multimodal and open for commentary and responses.
Now that we have established how and why "finsta" posts are a form of everyday writing by using Yancey's framework, it is important to examine how the writing appears and functions. For this exhibit, I have decided to examine three different "types" of everyday writing that appear on many people's "finsta" platforms. When searching for artifacts to include in this exhibit, I noticed that there seemed to be three main categories under which "finsta'' everyday writing falls. First, a majority of "finsta" posts include writing that aims to give personal life updates and to give details about recent life events. The posts that contain personal life updates are normally coupled with a selfie or another image that goes with and emphasizes what is being written in the post. Second, many "finsta" posts center around the sharing of memes. Often in these posts, the writing attached to the image is either humorous, random, or includes a personal update that is completely unrelated to the meme. Everyday writing that includes memes on "finsta" is more varied in its genre and relies more heavily upon communication from the image rather than the text. Third, I noticed that many posts did not fit any specific genre of everyday writing. I called posts like these "miscellaneous" because the content written in both the captions and the images is random. The writing here has no goal of updating people about one's personal life, emotions, etc, but instead seems to exist just for the sake of sharing and writing. The three types of "finsta" posts and the everyday writing included in them can be explored by clicking the corresponding tabs in the exhibit. These tabs include examples of everyday writing from real "finsta" accounts and captions that explain what they are. The rest of my inquiry and research on this topic is presented below.
To continue with my examination of “finsta” posts as a form of everyday writing, I think it is important to consider why “finsta” accounts are the platform where many people choose to dump their diary-like thoughts. As digital media and social media have evolved and gained popularity throughout the last ten years, scholars have noticed a trend referred to as technogenesis. Technogenesis is “the idea that humans and technics have coevolved together” and it aims to explain how human cognition and behavior have changed to fit the evolution of our technology (Hayles 10). I felt that technogenesis was a useful concept when trying to understand why so many people have shifted from using a traditional diary to using private social media accounts to document their updates, emotions, etc. Digital media and social media platforms allow users to use many different converging media and modes to express themselves. As social media and digital media have become more prominent in our society, I feel that humans have become accustomed to using such formats and platforms and feeling as though they help to produce a more authentic manner of expression. The increased use of online social media may have created epigenetic changes in the human brain that have caused people to feel as though expression through such platforms is more effective and more meaningful because of what the different elements allow. “The epigenetic changes associated with digital technologies” might be things such as an increased reliance on visual information and visual cues to understand and communicate effectively or a greater need for the human brain to engage in socialization and interaction with others online to effectively communicate (Hayles 11). Using the concept of technogenesis can be a fascinating and useful way to explore why digital media is now being favored over physical media for everyday writing uses.

The other interesting and important element of “finsta” accounts is their use of photographs. The digital format of social media makes the image a prevalent mode of communication and brings up questions about the role of photographs as everyday writing. Often it is assumed that the definition of everyday writing is confined to only the use of alphabetic text, but that is not the case. Many scholars that engage in textual studies argue that visuals/images can be a form of writing in their own right. This is a popular claim because of the desire of scholars to pay more attention to the materiality of texts and the power that non-alphabetic elements have in communicating ideas and messages. “Finsta” posts use images in a way that proves why visuals/images are a form of writing. “Objects, including photographs are...not just stage settings for human action and meanings, but are integral to them” (Edwards 4). “Objects [like photographs also] matter in the context of social practices” and social exchanges (Rose18). Photographs that appear in a user’s “finsta” post serve a social purpose and attempt to communicate and circulate expression. A large part of understanding a post that a “finsta” user is making includes examining and interpreting the image that goes along with it. Without an image, the “finsta” post cannot exist. Most times, the images a user uploads add a greater layer of meaning and depth to the alphabetic writing that appears in the captions. The images are a form of everyday writing that can communicate and achieve things that words cannot. They capture user attention, guide people through the writing in the captions, promote and invite social interaction and “they also articulate specific feelings” not able to be expressed in alphabetic writing (Rose 19). Examining how photos are used to communicate alongside text in “finsta” posts reveals why images/visuals should be labeled and studied as a form of everyday writing.

Overall, “finsta” posts/accounts are an interesting way to approach the study of everyday writing. Their digital nature brings to light questions about everyday writing in the digital age and suggests that humans may abandon more physical and material forms of writing. Users seem to feel very comfortable posting their most intimate, diary-like thoughts on such a platform for a select group to see. Furthermore, the angle that studying “finsta” posts/accounts gives on images and their function as everyday writing is useful in helping to expand the scope and nature of everyday writing studies. It is a refreshing way to innovate the discipline.