You'll Have the Force

Writing for me has been more about quantity than about quality. For years I have spent Sunday afternoons recapping my week as a dedicated journal writer. I have always loved to write, but I don't consider myself by any means John Greene or Nicholas Sparks.

Learning about "Mindful Writing" has opened up my limited view of writing. It is no longer about words on a page or sentences in a line. It is about the structure and art of forming a coherent thought or argument. The structure, I consider, is a lot like a battle plan with the intent to blow the reader away. (No pun intended.) There are tactics and devices used to maximize the quality and power of a piece. As part of the plan, there are six interconnected forces in a rhetorical situation.

Exigence, Kiaros, Rhetor, Purpose, Genre, and Audience

I want to give a quick synopsis of each.

My friend Hiram taught me a valuable lesson on exigence. He explained that a particular girl in our FHE group had mastered this tactic. Exigence is the invitation to speak. This girl knew exactly what questions to ask to get a guy to talk. She would break the ice and draw them out of their shell. As soon as they were out, she would suddenly lack interest. But, it was the first initial invitation that keep the guys coming back. Now, if that isn't a battle plan, I don't know what is.

Simplistically stated, kiaros means the right timing. Writing is not only a process, but an art. It requires the author to artistically communicate their point of view at an appropriate time when the audience is most likely to receive it.

Rhetor has a lot to do with what you are taught as a kid. Think before you act. In this case think before you say something. This in itself is quite eloquently stated.

Females are experts at purpose. In writing, this is what you are trying to achieve by what you say. The reason females are excellent at purpose is for the sake of the concept: "a question behind a question." For example, if we were to ask, "What are you doing this weekend?" We might be trying to see if the recipient remembers this weekend is her birthday, an anniversary, or a special event. In a more personal experience, while at a football game, my date and I came upon the subject, for lack of a better term, "courting rudeness." I told him a story about how a guy, while walking with my friend and I, asked for her number in front of me. I mentioned, that a few minutes later, almost out of pity (or in his mind), politeness, he asked for my number as well. While telling the story I mentioned how inconsiderate this experience was. A few minutes after telling the story he turned to me and said, "That was about me, wasn't it?" Yes, yes it was.

If you have ever read a book in your life, or watched Netflix, you understand genre. This includes fiction, non fiction, bibliography, or action, romance, and comedy.

Think of this joke for example, "What is the difference between the MTC and prison?"..."In prison you can have visitors." Nearly everyone I know, including myself tries to come up with some sort of joke before speaking in sacrament meeting. In order to do so, you have to come up with something appropriate, funny, and relatable to the ward. If you understand who your audience is, all your jokes will be funny.

When you incorporate these six steps in writing, also known as interconnected forces, you will have the force. In writing, obviously.