Author

1
Authors Purpose

• Reasons for Writing

2
Three Main Purposes

• To Entertain
• To Inform
• To Persuade
• Every text serves one of these purposes.

3
Writing to Entertain

• The MAIN purpose is to amuse readers.
• Examples
• Stories
• Poems
• Plays
• You may learn something from a story, but the
  MAIN purpose is to entertain.

4
Writing to Inform

• The MAIN purpose is to enlighten the reader.
• Examples
• Expository essays
• Nonfiction texts
• Instructions or directions
• Informational writing may be entertaining, but
  the MAIN purpose is to inform.

5
Writing to Persuade

• The MAIN purpose is to convince the reader.
• Examples
• Persuasive Essays
• Persuasive Speeches
• Persuasive Letters or notes
• Persuasive writing attempts to change the
  readers mind or get them to do something.

6
Identifying the Authors Purpose

1. Is the text a poem, story, or play?(if yes
   entertain if no go to next)
2. Does the text mainly give facts and info?(if
   yes inform if no go to next)
3. Does the text make arguments?(if yes
   persuade if no start over)

7
Practice

• You will be graded on participation and
  completion, not on accuracy.
• On a separate sheet of paper, number one through
  ten.
• I will describe a piece of writing.
• You will write the authors purpose to inform,
  persuade, or entertain.

8
1

• A note written by a young girl asking her
  ex-boyfriend to forgive her.

9
2

• A recipe for making potato pancakes

10
3

• The lyrics to a Lil Wayne song

11
4

• The warnings on a bottle of Tylenol

12
5

• A mailing from the American Cancer Society asking
  for donations to help fight cancer

13
6

• The script for a popular television show about
  vampires

14
7

• A map and schedule of bus routes

15
8

• A poem about how the worlds fresh water supplies
  are polluted

16
9

• An advertisement in a magazine to get readers to
  buy a new video game

17
10

• A schedule of movies and the times that they show
  for a local theatre

18
What about

• Pieces of writing that seem to have two purposes?
• Entertain and Inform?
• Inform and Persuade?
• Persuade and Entertain?
• This is an example of a Secondary Purpose!

19
Secondary Purpose?

• A secondary purpose if often times present in
  writing.
• It is the means by which an author intends to
  achieve his or her Primary Purpose.
• Inform in order to Persuade
• Entertain in order to Inform
• Entertain in order to Persuade

20
1

• During a debate, a politician quotes lots of
  statistics on how his plan can improve economy.
• Primary Purpose Secondary Purpose

21
2

• A TV commercial with a talking monkey buying
  stocks with ETrade.
• Primary Purpose Secondary Purpose

22
3

• An educational video starring kids going on a
  digital adventure.
• Primary Purpose Secondary Purpose