This week's lesson discusses the writing process, overcoming communication barriers, organization, and strategies for both positive/routine and negative messages. At the end of this week, your first writing assignment is due, a positive/routine message. This discussion will work through the planning step of the writing process to prepare that positive/routine message.

First, review the instructions for the Week 4 writing assignment, including the message rubric.

Then, before Thursday midnight, answer the following questions concerning the Week 4 positive/routine message assignment:

• What are THREE things you know about theaudiencethat will impact how you write this message? Consider the following:
• What do they know about the topic?
• What are their feelings about the topic or the company/author?
• What in the message will benefit the audience?
• What do they need to know?
• What do they want to know?
• What questions will they have?
• What should they believe, feel, or do after reading the message?
• What are TWOcommunication barriers (physical, semantic, psychological, or situational) presented by this message?
• Explain ONE strategy (the "you" approach, positive emphasis, one of the Six Cs of Communication, or one type of message formatting, such as bolding, italicizing, etc.) that you will use in the message and how that strategy helps you overcome the communication barrier and/or better target your audience. Include a sentence or paragraph from your planned message to demonstrate the strategy!