The Analytical: expository and/or critical
Typically divided in three main sections (Introduction, Body, and Conclusion), analytical essays strive to achieve rational, unbiased and systematic treatments of their subject. In order to meet such aims, the personal presence of the author is usually left absent from the presentation – although in recent years, an establishment of ethos in the Introductory section has become more commonplace. Technical terminology is also employed to such ends. However, intentional obfuscation through the unnecessary proliferation of highfalutin language and argumentation is universally frowned upon. The writing style should be bold, clear, and precise. The author must consider all respectable sides of the matter under consideration, and so the use of counterfactuals and hypotheticals can be of use in meeting this criterion without having to directly engage with an opponent’s actual claims. Crucially, analytical writing must appear transparent and systematic. Therefore, enthymematic arguments should be avoided where syllogistic statements can be made. Furthermore, the utilisation of numbers, categories and subheadings can also be highly affective. Finally, the old saying, “Tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em; tell ‘em; then tell ‘em what you’ve told ‘em” is seen to be illustrative of the great importance that clarity and transparency play in this form of writing.
The Deliberative
The success of persuasive, deliberative writing is heavily dependent upon a clear understanding and appreciation of one’s audience, their views, inclinations, and cultural characteristics. A fine balance must be found between merely stating that which is already accepted and that which is (as yet) beyond acceptance. The deliberative is essentially concerned with the probable or likely, as that which is actual is better left to either the analytic or instructive written forms. Hence, it is prudent that a number of possible future scenarios be invoked, where the desired conclusion of the deliberative process is clearly the best, either ideally or pragmatically. Deliberative writing lends itself well to the use of rhetorical devices (such as rhetorical questions), as often an emotion appeal to one’ audience will be necessary to encourage them out of their lazy, if not dogmatic, slumber in the status quo.
The Dialogical
At the outset, true dialogue has no fixed destination in mind. Obviously, this cannot be the case with regard to the written form of the phenomenon, although the suggestion of spontaneity will certainly lend itself to a more compelling piece. The audience should initially be informed of the focus of the discussion only in general terms (the desired conclusion may, however, be specified by the heading of the work). The author should strive to not allow any one of the interlocutors to dominate the exchange, and yet, at the same time, each character should clearly represent different aspects of the discussion, without becoming overly stereotyped. Avoiding artificiality, the rough development of the dialogue should be summarised at the conclusion of the piece.
The Epidictic
One of the oldest rhetorical forms, the epidictic seeks to extol an individual person, a collective group or an abstracted ideal; typically as part of a formal celebratory ceremony. Here a sense of grandeur and the epic will often be evoked by the use of metaphors, symbolism, and favourable comparisons to common history (sometimes even of the mythical or literary variety). Indeed, conveying a sense of belonging to a long, venerable lineage that is directed to a glorious future is essential in creating the inspiring and expansive emotions required for this mode of writing. As such, the author will be required to be rather selective in the presentation of the characteristics and anecdotes utilised to convey the desired portrayal. Here there is little need for either introduction or conclusion. Rather the piece should aspire to be as climatic as possible. In this pursuit, the inclusion of a number of accumulative faux-climaxes is advisable, although one must be vigilant in ensuring that the audience’s enthusiasm is not thereby exhausted before the ultimate culmination is reached.
The Forensic
Forensic modes of writing seek to establish, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the sequence or actuality of events that have occurred in the past. Obviously, it is advisable that one’s audience are initially counselled as to the significance of determining such events. However, once embarked upon the demonstration proper, the appearance of systematicity is vital. That said, although a seeming adherence to the dictates of chronology and temporality are essential, this will often find itself needing to be counterbalanced with a need for creating a sense of telos (i.e. purpose, or narrative meaning) in the sequence of events. Although teleology remains a branch of speculative metaphysics, one’s typical audience will be just as compelled by the appearance of purpose in a sequence of events, as they are by any scientific claims to factuality. Finding the proper balance between the two is the crucial challenge of forensic writing.
The Instructional
Similar to the forensic, systematicity is vital to all instructional writing. Again, the reader must initially be introduced to the significance of the project undertaken. However, unlike the forensic, faithful adherence to the temporal facticity of the matter must not be subverted by other considerations of persuasive psychology. And yet there remain other considerations to be taken into account. The language used must be frank, plain and precise. It is advisable that the instruction be divided into manageable categories that enable the audience to perceive how each part ‘fits’ into the overall, final product or capacity. In this endeavour, the author must remain conscious that their audience will presumably be approaching the subject from a position of ignorance. Moreover, quite often the nature of the task under instruction will be paideic (i.e. experiential), where the instruction itself is only didatic (i.e. abstract, intellectual). For this reason, illustrations, diagrams, figures, and even decorative pictures can complement instructional writing.
The Imaginative
Authenticity is crucial to this genre of writing. All too often, authors will assume that because the play of imagination is in focus, the reader’s capacity for disbelief will concomitantly be suspended. This is not the case, and efforts to integrate factual elements into a piece can be very effective in assuaging the readers’ ontological puritancies.
The employment of framing techniques (where one ‘world’ is portrayed as existing within another) are also advisable as facilitating the psychological transportation of the reader ‘into’ the story. The author should be acutely mindful of the role of interrelated symbolism in creating a viable atmosphere for the creation of imaginative environments.
The Journalistic: memoir and article
Journalism, as the name suggests, was born from the phenomenon of writers keeping personal journals of their experiences. The memoir form of this genre (given that it is created artificially) requires the unfolding of events, although often forecasted either explicitly or implicitly. Effort should be made to capture the historical ambience and significance of the story. Similarly, with respect to the article form, a sense of perspective remains significant, although, as it is written as a self-contained whole, in response to events or other articles, the author should be wary of overly bombastic language in achieving this effect.
The Reflective
When writing a personal reflection, one should be mindful not to be self-indulgent. While an audience will have a certain, natural degree of curiosity in learning about the lives of others, the author should try to consider what materials are of a universal nature, or at least speak to general concern or interest. That said, it is equally important to recognise the individuality of one’s own experiences, so as not to set oneself up as appearing either self-important or arrogant. Reflective writing does not have the same character as a real-life diary, and instead needs to be carefully sculptured and refined as much as any other written form. Be sure to introduce relationships with other characters, and also to provide full-bodied descriptions of one’s settings. One of the strong points of this genre is that it readily enables one to depict the development of one’s character, for better or worse.
