PB2B- Show Me Your Moves

When you read a book, what is your goal? If you haven’t given the question much thought, your answer is more than likely along the lines of “to gain knowledge of the information written within it.”  However, there is another reason we may want to read.  This reason is to become a better writer.  Mike Bunn discusses this in his essay “How to Read Like a Writer”.  In the essay he describes how instead of reading to understand content, we can read to analyze why the author does what he does.  “Reading this way becomes an opportunity to think and learn about writing (Bunn 74).”  When we read this way, we start to notice things about writers’ strategies.  Many times these strategies that the writer incorporates are called moves. Every written piece is full of moves, whether the author is conscious of it or not, and if we analyze moves from others, we can begin to develop moves of our own.

On the topic of moves, there is a book titled They Say / I Say, in which the authors, Gerald Graff, Kathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst, discuss specific moves and how these moves can influence a reader.  One example of a move discussed in this book is “Introducing Quotations”.  Kerry Dirk uses this move in her essay “Navigating Genres” when she says, “Carolyn Miller, a leading professor in the field of technical communication, argues that “a rhetorically sound definition of genre must be centered… (Dirk 252)”.  While this move may seem suddle at first, it is actually a very deliberate strategy used by the author.  Dirk is using her introduction of a quote to establish credibility by mentioning her quote’s credentials, as well as stating the quotes purpose by using the action word “argue”.  Another move Dirk uses from the book They Say / I Say is “Adding Metacommentary”.  She says, “In other words, knowing what a genre is used for can help people to accomplish goals, whether that goal be getting a job… (Dirk 253)”.  In this particular move, Dirk is using a transition phrase to explain a quote in terms that the reader can understand.  Metacommentary isn’t the only way to explain a quote.  In fact, “Explaining Quotations” is a move of its own in They Say / I Say.  Dirk uses this when she says, “You can see that this letter does several things… (Dirk 260)”.  By using this move, Dirk addresses her audience on a personal level, as well as sets herself up to explain the quote.  Another example of a move from They Say / I Say is “Capturing Authorial Action”.  In “Steps Toward Rhetorical Analysis”, Laura Carroll uses this move when she says “The PSA is responding directly to the fact that kids are not getting enough arts education (Carroll 50).”  By using this move, Carroll is able to identify exactly who is doing what in a quote given before.  Another great move given in They Say / I Say is “Introducing Standard Views.”  In the essay “Shitty First Drafts”, Anne Lamott writes, “People tend to look at successful writers who are getting their books published and maybe even doing well… (Lamott 75)”.  In this quote, the author is identifying a widely held view, and now has the opportunity to reinforce or differ from it.

While They Say / I Say gives some great examples of moves, it is most certainly an incomplete list.  Moves are not always so clear cut.  Moves can be almost anything an author does that influences the reader or changes the writing.  One can look at a page, pick a sentence, and identify a move based on how that sentence is used.  For example, looking back at “Navigating Genres”, there is a sentence where Dirk says “I will admit that the word genre… (Dirk 251)”.  We can call this move “Conceding”, because Dirk is conceding the idea that something adverse to her argument may be true.  While this move hurts her argument slightly, it actually helps it in the long run because it shows that the author is honest and presents both sides of the argument, creating credibility.  Another move we can find Dirk using is what we can call “Stepping Back”.  She uses this move when she says “By this point you might realize that… (Dirk 253)”.  We call this move “Stepping Back” because the author uses a phrase that shows the piece being read like a timeline, and helps the reader realize how much they've read, and what they should have gained from that reading.  It is an effective move because it gives the reader a second to pause and think back to what they have read, ensuring that they have comprehended the material.  Another move I found in the course readings is what we will call “Allow Me to Reintroduce Myself”.  Peter Elbow uses this move in “The Learning Process” when he says, “As a teacher, it helps… (Elbow 60)”.  This move is intended to re-establish the authors credibility and remind the reader that they know what they are talking about.  This is effective because it convinces the reader that what they are hearing isn’t a bunch of nonsense from someone uneducated.  Another move used by Laura Carroll in “Steps Toward Rhetorical Analysis” is what we will call “Wrap it Up”.  She writes, “Finally, you might want to think… (Carroll 50)”.  By using the word “finally”, Carroll is effectively transitioning to what will be her last point.  This move is also effective for summing an idea up when the transition word is changed to something like “In conclusion”.  Looking back at “Navigating Genres”, Dirk uses another move called “My Thoughts”.  She writes “I think it’s time to try our hand at… (Dirk 256)”.  Although this is a clearly planned out essay, she writes as though she is thinking out loud to give the appearance that it was a spontaneous thought.  This is an effective move because it keeps the reader interested by making the reading seem less formal and boring.

Moves come in all different forms.  Moves don’t have to be distinct and set like those found in They Say / I Say.  A move can be anything an author does, whether they realize it or not, that affects the reader.  If we start asking ourselves why those moves affect us like they do, we can begin to develop our own moves and improve our writing.