1. The Seven Components of Writing Style

2. 1: Language
Use simple language
Remove unnecessary words
Avoid clichés (over used words)
Use specific language
Use technical terms carefully
Use non discriminatory language

3. 2: Sentence Structure
Sentence sprawl (too many ideas to grasp)
Readability
Punctuations

4. 3: Paragraph Structure
Subject
Background
Purpose
opinion

5. 4: Rhythm
5: Tone
The “You” approach
6: Order of Information
To inform
To persuade
To instruct

6. 7: Lay Out
Headings
Numbering
Underlining
Indenting
White space

7. Defining Audiences
Your audience’s knowledge level
Adapting to your audience’s knowledge level
Adapting to different knowledge levels

8. Audience Roles
Their needs and their task
Writing to an operator and writing to a decision maker
Switching roles
Audiences organizational distance

9. Elements of distance
Formality and power
Adapting to the Audiences Distance
1: Audience Near
2: Audience far and below
3: Audience far and above
4: Multiple audiences

10. LECTURE 11
Audience Analysis

11. Audience attitudes
Feelings about message and sender
Expectations of form

12. Identifying your Audiences
The initial audience
A gatekeeper
The primary audience
The secondary audience
The key decision makers
A watchdog audience (using political, social,economic powers)

13. An Introvert
Write a memo and let the reader think about your proposal before responding
An Extrovert
Try out your idea orally, in an informal setting
An Intuitive type
Present the big picture first; stress the creative aspect of your proposal

14. A Thinking type
Use logic, not emotions to persuade show that your proposal is fair, even if some people may be hurt by it.
A Feeling type
Show that your proposal meets the emotional needs of people as well as the dollar-and-cent needs of the organization
A Perceiving type
Show that you have considered all the alternatives. Ask for a decision by a specific date.
A Judging type
Present your request quickly

15. What will the audience’s initial reaction be to the message?
In a subject line show that this message is important
Make the action as easy as possible
Suggest a realistic deadline
Keep the message short and to the point

16. How much information does the audience need?
Define terms,
Explain concepts
Use examples
Link new information to old one
Use paragraphs and headings to break up new information into related chunks
Test the initial draft on your own

17. What obstacles must you overcome?
Start your message with an area of agreement or common ground that you share with your reader
Make a special effort to be clear
Avoid statements that may arouse anger in the reader
Limit your statement or request to the smallest possible area
Show that your solution is the best

18. What expectations does the audience have about the appropriate language, structure and form of your message?
Avoid contractions
Avoid terms that carry emotional charges e.g. criminal, feminist, fundamentalist, liberal etc.
Use first name sparingly
Direct or indirect structure
Use footnotes
Number items
Bullets
Give your contact/organization.

19. Analyzing Individuals
Perception
Emotions
Gender
Education
Profession
Social background

20. Some authentic Observations:
Audience 1: Bureaucratic, prefers to work alone and carefully .He is very consistent, likes facts and statistics (Controller)
To motivate him write in a matter of fact tone, incorporate a good deal of information, including methods and data, instead of stating one conclusion, offer various options .Emphasize tradition, process and system.

21. Audience 2: Your boss is enthusiastic, idealistic, a cheerleader, he is creative and is eager to change things based on his ideals. Sometimes prejudiced (Crusader).To persuade a crusader adopt an enthusiastic and informative tone .Emphasize how your ideas tie to his ideals or “dreams” .Remember he will be persuaded by the value of the idea itself.

22. Audience 3: He is a “Peoples’ Person”
Audience 3: He is a “Peoples’ Person” .He works as part of a team, does not like to make decisions to change things, and will avoid conflicts and risks (Collaborator). To persuade a collaborator adopt a trusting and non-threatening tone. Avoid long, detailed, enthusiastic, explanations. Back up your argument from the organizational policies or goals you know he agrees with.

23. Audience 4: Your boss is a “Business Person”; he likes action and results, and bases decisions for change on results, not ideals. He is decisive and efficient, sometimes even domineering (Commander). To persuade him, adopt an efficient and results-oriented tone. You might prefer a short summary format, stating your own conclusions and recommendations clearly. Since commanders are motivated by results and power, emphasize the outcome for the company as well as “what is in it for them”?