Writing Workshop 2

WORKSHOP #2

Workshop 1: • 11:15-12:00 • Why we write • Grammar considerations • Workshop: Editing

Workshop 2: • 12:30-1:30 • Understanding our audience • Developing our voice • Workshop: Evoking Reactions

WORKSHOP #2

Why does your audience show up?

• Interesting or unique insight • Expertise • Captivating writing • Important information • Emotional response • Voice they want to hear

WORKSHOP #2

What is your voice?

• Distinctive • Consistent • Fresh or unique • Genuine • Flawed • Evocative • Appropriate for the setting

WORKSHOP #2

How can you find your voice?

• Figure out your purpose • Observe your audience without pandering

• Check out comments – audiences as a whole have good instincts

• Value engagement over page views • Write what you mean to write • Revisit old writing • Don’t be afraid to edit • Just write

WORKSHOP #2

What’s in a voice?

• Stephen King • JK Rowling • Tom Clancy • Nicholas Sparks • Chris Brogan • You

WORKSHOP #2

Let’s learn how to

evoke a reaction,

idiot.

WORKSHOP #2

A good writer will be able to exercise creativity and skill to evoke a reaction from the reader. 1. You’ll have 15 minutes. 2. Read the situation described on the next slide. 3. Choose one of the reactions listed. 4. Write a sentence or two that will describe the situation and

evoke that emotional response in your reader. 5. Be prepared to share your work!

WORKSHOP #3

Setting: A woman goes to work and gets summoned into a meeting. When she walks into the meeting, the only other person present is her boss.

WORKSHOP #3

Adam’s reaction: Sympathy Adam’s example: After the argument with the daycare about their fee increase, the flat tire she had to change on the side of the road, and the otherwise completely shitty morning, Karen wasn’t ready to take her boss on just yet, especially with the layoff rumors circulating. “I just need a break,” she prayed quietly before taking a deep breath and opening the conference room doors, only to see the dark and foreboding look on her boss’s face.

WORKSHOP #3

Choose one reaction and write a few sentences describing the setting that will evoke that reaction in the reader.

Setting: A woman goes to work and gets summoned into a meeting. When she walks into the meeting, the only other person present is her boss. Reactions to evoke:

• Outrage • Pity • Excitement • Support • Pride

• Befuddlement • Discussion • Relief • Persecution • Surprise

• Discomfort • Fascination • Condemnation

WORKSHOP #3

Takeaways: • It only takes a few words to properly evoke the emotional

response you want in your readers. • Happy, sad, and angry are easy emotions, but complex emotions

require a bit more subtlety. • The Meet The Fockers movies really are terrible.

WORKSHOP #2

Takeaways:

• Your voice is both the easiest and hardest thing to discover and

develop. • It only takes a few words to properly evoke the emotional

response you want in your readers. • Happy, sad, and angry are easy emotions, but complex reactions

require a bit more subtlety.