The Art of Influence

How, Not What

The craft of disagreeing with the majority is striking.  In “The Art of the Personal Essay” it says that “personal essayists intentionally go against the grain of popular opinion.”  By doing this myself and writers alike open themselves to vulnerability.  This vulnerability strips away any “mask” I may be wearing and I will show the reader not only why they should listen to what I have to say by getting to the core of what I know about the subject, but I will also divulge and question everything I don’t know about it.  This makes me human and even if the reader is outraged by what I say that pulsating reaction creates an audience and I can’t persuade people if they aren’t listening.  “The personal essayist is not necessarily out to win the audience’s unqualified love but to present the complex portrait of a human being.”  This means to know my opposition and learn it and question it as much as I have studied the side I am persuading to.  It is not what I communicate to my audience but how I do it.      

As I add in these quotes to “lend authority” let me add another to make a point on this credibility, “I make others say what I cannot say so well.”  In addition these quotes allow the essayist to “get a free ride on other men’s brains.”  People listen to authority and they follow credible experts.  I am not shy to freely quote any credible source that backs up my passionate opinion I’m persuading people to join.