Final answer:
The typewriter significantly influenced writing practices by increasing the speed of writing, introducing the QWERTY keyboard, enhancing worker productivity, and paving the way for modern typesetting and printing technology.
Step-by-step explanation:
The typewriter played a crucial role in shaping how writing was produced and presented in both professional and personal contexts. When Christopher Sholes perfected the typewriter in 1867, it not only sped up the process of writing but also introduced the standard QWERTY keyboard, revolutionizing typing practices. Furthermore, as typewriters evolved, they allowed for an increase in worker productivity, particularly in office settings, simultaneously opening up clerical job opportunities for women. The automated typesetting of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, which included machines like the Monotype and Linotype, further sped up publishing processes previously done by hand.
As technology progressed, the efficiency continued to grow. The electric typewriter allowed typists to produce more pages per hour than a manual one, and this efficiency skyrocketed with the advent of personal computers and word processing software. Eventually, typewriters helped set the stage for modern computerized typesetting and printing technologies, leading to direct-to-plate printing that eliminated the need for intermediate photographic processes.