Letters and Links

Who's reading your stuff?  Thinkwrite.

You are going to write two letters (email format).  This is to demonstrate how your writing (content and style) can change depending on the rhetorical situation (audience, purpose, genre).

Here's the assignment:

Audience Awareness

A key to effective writing is tailoring your writing to your audience. Using the Lego project, you found out how well you were able to communicate concrete directions to your classmates.

Now you are going to write two letters (think long emails) to two different recipients.  What you write and how you write it will change, depending upon your chosen audience.

Types/Purpose of Letter:

I.  Advice to:

• A friend, a family   member
• Yourself as a younger person
•  Unknown person beginning a situation you have experience with     

II.   Fan Letter to:

•  Your favorite musician/athlete/star  
•  A person in your life you admire
• An organization or entity

III.  Complaint to:

• A person in your life, past or present
•  A company, a journalist
• An   entity

IV.  Thank you?  Other?

Step 1:  Choose the type of letter you will write, either I, II or III.  You then have to decide on TWO different recipients, and you will write TWO letters of the same type, but to different recipients.
 

Step 2:  Below your standard MLA heading (your name,  my name, etc.), type

Genre:

Purpose:

          Audience:

          Subject Line:                    Fill these in for each letter (email) that you write

Step 3:  After you have drafted your letters, give careful thought to what you will put in the subject line.  This is where you get the person to open that email and read what you have written.  It also can’t appear to be spam.

Step 4: Format these letters as you would a real email --  short paragraphs, correct grammar and spelling, content appropriate to the audience.

Step 5:  Print when ready and hand in.  No drafts are required (but you should…).

Final and only version due Wednesday Jan. 30.

EXAMPLE PAPER:

Joe Schmoe

Mrs. Loden

English 1010

30 Jan 2013

            Genre:  Advice

            Audience: Any college freshman

            Purpose:  To prevent my dumb mistakes

            Subject Line: Kid, before you start college, read this.

                           The letter starts……

=======================================================

            Genre: Advice

            Audience:  My brother

            Purpose:  To help him decide on a career

            Subject Line:  It’s only a job—sort of.

                       The letter starts…..

 

Read letters at the links.  Think.  Tomorrow is a work day;  use it for either letters or Draft #1 of Long Observation.

1.  Be working on Draft #1.

2.  Be thinking about letters.

3.  TWFTD:  idiosyncrasies.