Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Mike Richards. Welcome to my master class on how to write a compelling biography with a hidden motive. Now, a little about me: I started my professional life as a journalist at the Age newspaper, then in the 1990s I became deputy editor and deputy general manager. Currently I live in Melbourne with my wife and two children. However, it was a pleasure to have been invited to such a wonderful school here in Brisbane. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay In order to give examples of the different techniques that I will teach you, I will use one of my own volumes published in 2002 which I believe you are all familiar with. Now, some context behind the novel: In 1967, as acting secretary of the Student Anti-Hanging Campaign, I participated in efforts to secure a reprieve for Ryan. The reason a few other students and I participated in this campaign was our aversion to the death penalty, but most of us believed Ryan was guilty. And while we have deep compassion for the innocent victims and their families, how could a society, we thought, affirm the sanctity of human life in response to homicide by itself authorizing murder legalized by judicial execution. It is a philosophical position from which I have never departed. The fact that Ryan was put to death in the name of the people forces us to ask questions about him. What kind of education did he have? How did he live his life? Was he a good father to his children? What kind of man was he? Did he have any redeeming qualities? Did he deserve to die on the gallows? So naturally I spent 35 years writing the story of Ryan's life as I never knew it in 1967. Using a range of literary devices, I was able to write a biography compelling, inviting a particular reader and giving them all the material they needed. to form their own opinion on Ryan. And yes, although I wanted to influence the reader, I also gave them the facts. I designed my work in a certain way that would position the reader in a way that would force them to empathize with Ryan and understand how unfair his fate was. And how, because of his childhood, the life of crime was inevitable. To show people that hanging is wrong, I used this biography to make it personal. Now, if you are writing a biography and want to invoke the reader and influence them with your own agenda, you can accomplish this in several ways. I'm going to walk you through the different techniques I used in my novel to help young writers like you write your own compelling biography. Let's start with your book design. Hangman begins with Ryan's devastating childhood before progressing to Ronald's life of crime. It was my way of showing the reader that Ryan's poor decisions as an adult were entirely influenced by his upbringing, the hardships he had to endure, and the lack of support from others. Implying that his fate was not his fault but rather it was inevitable. Thus, placing the blame on Ryan, revealing to the reader how unfair and harsh his final punishment was; a great way to position the reader, making them read what you want them to read. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Personalized Trial Usage.