Writing Workshop 1

WORKSHOP #1

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 #1

Why do we write?

• Therapy • Marketing • Storytelling • Share expertise • Engage an audience • Other reasons?

WORKSHOP #1

How do we keep our audience?

• Creating fresh content • Being genuine • Having a unique perspective • Outside publicity • Continuing to engage • Demonstrating skill in writing.

WORKSHOP #1

Avoid grammatical pitfalls:

• We all know the basics

• They’re/their/there • Your/you’re • Its/it’s

• Don’t be afraid to Google • When should you ignore the rules?

WORKSHOP #1

aka

EDITING

The process of selecting and preparing written media in order to convey information to an audience, using techniques such as correction, condensation, organization, or other modifications, with the ultimate goal of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete work that properly conveys the message without overwhelming the reader with an abundance of words or superfluous concepts that obscure the true meaning or focus of the original work being created.

WORKSHOP #1

Editing can increase the potency of your message. Twitter forces you to condense your content into 140 characters. 1. You’ll have 15 minutes. 2. Read the paragraph on the next slide. 3. Figure out the underlying theme, thesis, or message. 4. Create a tweet that successfully conveys the same message as

the paragraph. 5. Use #FLBlogCon. 6. Be prepared to share your work!

WORKSHOP #1

Use #FLBlogCon and send a tweet that edits down the above paragraph without losing the message! Be creative!

The reason we edit our words is the same reason that the angry father makes his son smoke an entire pack of cigarettes in one sitting when he catches him smoking. Too much of a good thing (whether or not you agree that a cigarette is a good thing is completely moot) is often quite, quite bad, and just like too many colors can drown out a beautiful bouquet of flowers, too many words can drown out the message. Painters use accent colors, chefs have hors d’oeuvres, and stripper wear pasties because they know that if you overwhelm or inundate your audience, they’ll grow disinterested before too long. Writing is the same, though usually with less glitter than strippers.

WORKSHOP #1

Adam’s examples: When writing, choose quality over quantity every time and edit carefully. Don’t overwhelm your audience with superfluous content. #FLBlogCon Editing is to writing like pasties are to strippers. Leave your audience wanting more. #FLBlogCon Less is more. #FLBlogContent

WORKSHOP #1

Takeaways:

• Always remember why you write. • Stick with proper grammar, but don’t let the rules muzzle you. • Editing is one of the most important aspects of writing. • Adam probably goes to way too many strip clubs.

Don’t forget Workshop #2 at 12:30!