Have you ever felt like you weren’t able to hold people’s attention? Ever feel like no one cared about your ideas, stories, or experiences? Ever see someone entertain a group of people, almost seamlessly, and wonder how they could captivate people so effortlessly? Well, the reason they can do this is multi-faceted. Part of it is what they are saying. Part of it is how they are saying it. In this class, we introduce— or perhaps, reintroduce— you to some basic literary techniques that are used to make communication more interesting, enthralling, and entertaining.
Whether it be writing, speaking, marketing or mere conversation, language is the vehicle through which we express our thoughts, dreams, creativity, desires, and opinions. But not everyone communicates in a compelling way. Holding people’s attention can be quite a challenge, especially in a time where the average attention span is consistently decreasing due to social media preferences such as TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. Holding people’s attention today is perhaps harder than ever before. Luckily, literary techniques allow you to present your thoughts in a way that is interesting, fun and/or unique. They are used by storytellers, public speakers, advertisers, educators, salespersons, politicians, comedians, as well as people who just enjoy regaling their friends and family, to place a spotlight on their ideas. In this course, we cover ten commonly used literary techniques that can be used by anyone, anywhere, to improve the efficacy of their communication skills. These basic techniques can be used to clarify concepts, engage an audience, or even add some intrigue or novelty to your messages. We will discuss allusion, hyperbole, irony, simile, metaphor, imagery, personification, idiomatic expressions, mood and tone as devices used in communication. This is step one in becoming a more intriguing communicator, whether it be as a writer, speaker, or both. Knowing these techniques, with the eventual goal of applying them with purpose, will help set you above many of the more lackluster, dull and/or disengaging speakers, writers, and conversationalists you encounter.
