A successful piece of writing depends upon the relationship between different elements. When you examine how these elements work together(or don’t in some cases) then you can formulate a convincing reading.
1) What is the point of view? POV. If it is the first person, is it confessional, obviously opinionated and subjective? Is it anecdotal? Retrospective? If the third person, it is detached, objective, apparently objective, reportage? Are they in a position of power? Or powerlessness? Who is the designated AUDIENCE and how does this audience match/fit/work with the POV?
2) Consider the tone or ‘voice’ of your POV. Is it ironic? Comic? Serious? Nostalgic? Angry? Self-righteous? Curious? Think about the relationship between POV and tone. Think about its relationship with the audience.
3) What is the Genre?… Newspaper article? Memoir? Creative Non-Fiction maybe? A letter? Novel? Poem? Play? Autobiography? Diary?
4) Look at the word choice. How does this choice of words work with the above? Does the word selection reinforce the message? Does it raise questions about the issue under scrutiny effectively? Think about the techniques used to make the word choice function powerfully in the course of the writing/argument. Techniques should enhance the message of the text. A badly written article uses language and technique inappropriately or ineffectively. DO NOT TECHNIQUE spot without looking at the context in which a technique is used. LOOK out for SENSORY language. Think about its effectiveness.
5) Consider the progression of the account/argument. Where does it begin? (Think of context, mood, POV, language choice). Think of a pivotal or striking moment in the text and then look at where the argument/article ends. Is there humour? Resolution? A Call to Action maybe? Resignation? Triumph? A mere ‘whimper’ of a conclusion perhaps?
6) Track the way the writing is organised. Your overall opinion about the effectiveness or ‘message’ of a text has been derived from the way all the above are organised and matched. Track back from your idea about the text to the way the text is arranged and organised. Impressions come from somewhere. The EFFECT is accumulative. Find the moments of interest. Track them through the progress of the writing.
