Why They Can't Write: Killing the Five-Paragraph Essay and Other Necessities

by John Warner

Should I . . . ? Should I go see that movie? Should I buy that app? Should I listen to this album or go to that concert? Should I read this book, check out that museum, or eat in that new restaurant? Decisions, decisions everywhere. Important decisions. Your audience needs help in making one of these decisions. PROBLEM Your audience wants to know if something (music, movie, book, TV show, app, clothing, food, restaurant, concert, play, video game, and so forth) is any good. They have come to you for your opinion, which they will rely upon to make their decision. AUDIENCE Your audience is someone your age in roughly the same circumstances and having had similar experiences. It’s not you, but people similar to you, your peers. PURPOSE You are helping them make the right decision for themselves, which makes for an interesting challenge. On the one hand, you’re going to need to be opinionated.