Lucas Ballard Genre

Genre Post

For example, did the radio essay behave like a genre in the ways the authors describe?   How has your experience made you "sensitive to genre," and what have you learned about it that you can apply in other writing situations?

The most notable aspect of genre learning that came from this course for me was actually the lack of adaptation I thought was needed to transform my written word to spoken. I have always written much like I was transcribing an internal monologue and while this may be a weakness when it comes to traditional writing I saw it as a boon in radio writing.

For example, the transitions, cues, and pauses needed to construct a radio essay were already trying to be expressed in my normal writing, often marked by an overuse of commas. Furthermore, I always read all of my essays out loud to myself to see if they 'sound' good, so audio was the primary way I interfaced with my own work to this point.

That said, I did notice where this model failed me, the most obvious example being my use of music. I still think I have a weaker-than-average grasp on how music should be used to set up a scene, at least compared to the rest of my classmates. This is certainly something I feel comfortable labeling 'genre sensitivity'. Another example of this is volume. While someone can hypothetically communicate volume by using really small font OR ALL CAPS, this is a unenhanced way to approach volume. Radio essays required a much stronger understanding of volume as storytelling mechanic so that was new to explore.

Going forward, I definitely think I can use the things I have learned in this class when interpreting new genres, such as online video, legal paperwork, or whatnot. Especially by looking at new 'dimensions' (by dimensions I mean new axis of storytelling that can occur concurrently with writing) such as color, lighting, font, etc. I think I can be more equipped to tackle genre diversity in the future.