Table Of ContentUPDATE CULTURE AND
THE AFTERLIFE OF
DIGITAL WRITING
UPDATE CULTURE AND
THE AFTERLIFE OF
DIGITAL WRITING
JOHN R. GALLAGHER
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY PRESS
Logan
© 2019 by University Press of Colorado
Published by Utah State University Press
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in part, by Adams State University, Colorado State University, Fort Lewis College,
Metropolitan State University of Denver, University of Colorado, University of Northern
Colorado, University of Wyoming, Utah State University, and Western Colorado
University.
∞ This paper meets the requirements of the ANSI/NISO Z39.48– 1992 (Permanence of
Paper).
ISBN: 978- 1- 60732- 973- 2 (paperback)
ISBN: 978- 1- 60732- 974- 9 (ebook)
DOI: https:// doi .org/ 10 .7330/ 9781607329749
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Gallagher, John R., 1983– author.
Title: Update culture and the afterlife of digital writing / John R. Gallagher.
Description: Logan : Utah State University Press, [2019] | Includes bibliographical refer-
ences and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019033219 (print) | LCCN 2019033218 (ebook) | ISBN
9781607329732 (paperback) | ISBN 9781607329749 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Electronic publishing. | Authors and publishers.
Classification: LCC Z286.E43 G35 2019 (ebook) | LCC Z286.E43 (print) | DDC
070.5/797— dc23
LC record available at https:// lccn .loc .gov/ 2019033219
The University Press of Colorado gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the
University of Illinois toward the publication of this book.
Parts (but not much) of this manuscript have appeared in previous publications. Some
of the ideas related to templates in chapter 2 appeared in “Challenging the Monetized
Template,” Enculturation 24 (2017): n.p. A small section in chapter 4 appeared in “Five
Strategies Internet Writers Use to ‘Continue the Conversation,’” in Written Communication
32 (4): 396– 425. A small section of chapter 5 appeared in “Monitoring and Managing
Online Comments in Science Journalism,” in Citizenship and Advocacy in Technical
Communication: Scholarly and Pedagogical Perspectives, edited by Godwin Agboka and
Natalia Matveeva (New Yovrk: Routledge), 137– 52. However, most of the ideas have been
updated and edited.
Duty Calls, courtesy of XKCD
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction: Update Culture 3
1 Methods and Participants 17
2 Template Rhetoric 32
3 Textual Timing 49
4 Textual Attention 77
5 Textual Management 100
6 Ethics in Update Culture 135
7 Learning and Pedagogy in Update Culture 147
8 An Epistemology of Change 156
Appendix A: How This Book Came to Be 163
Appendix B: Initial Interview Questions for Reviewers, Journalists,
and Bloggers 169
Appendix C: Initial Interview Questions for redditors 170
Appendix D: Follow- Up Interview Questions 171
Notes 173
References 175
About the Author 185
Index 187
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The people most responsible for this project are its participants. I did
not pay any of them. They graciously volunteered their time, often when
it was convenient for me. Interviewing them was a pleasure. I consider
talking with writers to be the best part of my job. To all the bloggers,
journalists, redditors, and reviewers: thank you for making this project
possible.
In terms of scholarly support, Steve Holmes offered me in- depth
guidance throughout this project while keeping a sense of humor along
the way. I acknowledge that my spouse, Shelby Hutchens, tolerated
interviews at random times of the day and listened to me drone on
about the project, especially toward the end. There are many people
in the computers and writing community I am grateful for knowing
and friending; while I cannot name all of them, thanks to Kristin Arola,
Kevin Brock, Jim Brown Jr., Aaron Beveridge, Dànielle Nicole DeVoss,
Dustin Edwards, Harley Ferris, and Rebecca Tarsa. Because this project
was largely conceived as a new project, it holds little relationship to my
dissertation. Nevertheless, the seeds of this project started in my disser-
tation, and I wish to thank Donna LeCourt and Anne Herrington for
giving me the methodology that made this book possible. I am indebted
to Paul Prior’s and Catherine Prendergast’s career advice, humor, and
grace during my career at UIUC. Thanks to Maria Gillombardo for
suggesting Afterlife as a possible title of this manuscript. Thank you
to Rachael Lussos for copyediting this manuscript. Thank you to the
University Press of Colorado and my editor, Rachael Levay, for support
throughout the publication process. Thank you to the University of
Illinois at Urbana- Champaign, which provided a subvention grant to
help increase the circulation of this book.
Family, and the values family represents, is the most important thing
in life, something my participants reminded me of during our inter-
views. I dedicate this book to my family, especially my father (John E.
Gallagher), Quentin, Landry, and Shelby. My sister (Michelle Carr) and
mother (Karen Holmes) were enthusiastic about my writing throughout
many years, and I thank them for their support over the long arc of a
life. Andy Potts listened to me read terrible undergrad papers late at
night— thank you for your support, good sir. My friends, Greg Sargent
