When we write for an audience, providing readers with context is often integral to a story (occasionally, some of us write for ourselves and inherently recognize the context of what we’re writing about…..). Many times, context makes the story – drawing in the reader.
In journalism studies – and in our high school writing classes (mine, anyway) – would-be writers learn to impart who-what-when-where-how-why to one’s audience. Communicating the who or what – the topic – is usually straightforward enough. Bringing the subject to life by providing context makes writing worth reading.
There are people – myself included – who like to deduce or infer context when we are told something verbally (“If B, then A and C”). Those of us who enjoy this mental work have to recognize that this thinking style isn’t auto-pilot – or pleasant – for everyone. We therefore have to remember to lay out context when communicating. I’m inclined to think that this forced effort makes us better writers by virtue of consciously learning to take our readers desire for context into account. Actually, all writers have their own communication style is specific to their temperament and need to learn to recognize – and account for – reader needs when writing for an audience….. A truly well-trained writer is one who we love to read specifically because we enjoy the writing style they have cultivated….
Sometimes, context is broadly viewed as self-evident. Stand-up comics often deliver jokes such that the context is thought to be self-evident and – therefore – funny. For example, “I wouldn’t want to be the fish in this photo.”
Usually, however, the work of setting up context is the writer’s responsibility. In journalistic parlance, the writer doesn’t just deliver the “what” of a story. Where did this happen? Who was involved and where did it happen? How did it occur? If the context of “why a story matters” won’t likely be self-evident to the reader, the why needs to be incorporated into a story. The “why” is where we writers get to be creative in our communications.
In the following photo, it is self-evident that this is a night scene of a city’s downtown skyline (“what”). A curious viewer might want to look for clues to identify which city is being viewed (in this particular photo, the tall, thin building to the right and the downward reflection of light identifying water are clues of the city’s identity). However, I generated more interest in this photo when I explained to an audience that I took this photo during my daily commute to a job for which I would leave home before daylight to avoid heavy rush hour traffic along Seattle’s I-5 corridor and that I had to find an appropriate place to pull over to take this photo. Providing my audience with context about my work life and indicating that I had the wherewithal to recognize a camera-worthy scene during my morning commute made the photo more interesting.
Providing context well when writing – while also recognizing how much not to tell so that the reader can draw their own ideas – is crucial in moving beyond typing to quality writing. Burkhardt Writing Services is available when you need a good writer.
Kim Burkhardt provides writing services – including ghostwriting, “corporate storytelling,” articles, how-to manuals, and editing – at Burkhardt Writing Services. Contact us about your wordsmithing and storytelling needs.
