Using Research in Writing - A Workshop

Last Tuesday it was my turn to lead the Madrid Writers Club and chose to look at using research in writing.
You can find a post with the handouts and exercises here:
http://madridwritersclub.com/2013/11/21/using-research-in-writing/

The Vampire Presentation

The Vampire Presentation begins when The Speaker fumbles with the computer cable, like he’s trying to knit spaghetti. From my seat in the audience I imagine Transylvanian organ chords stab with each fumble of the powerpoint presentation. I see bats fly out above our heads when a window pops up on-screen flashing a blood red advert promising cream-induced eternal life to the 10,000th lucky visitor.

The Speaker begins in dull drone. Every few words they emit an “urm” or “yeah”, like the rasping laugh of a Nosferatu sizing us up for a bite.

I feel the blood drain from my concentration. I check my watch for the second time during this first slide but it does nothing to stem the flow of consciousness which is sucked from me with each of his unrehearsed words. It feels like The Speaker has been talking over their title slide for an eternity. Finally, fumbling with the laser pointer, they switch to the next slide. It is packed with text and pleonastic spelling mistakes. All at once I know that my struggle is useless. As I slip into a dull stupor I know that this is going to be a Vampire Presentation.

“Why?...” I think, as my shoulders sag and my eyelids turn to lead, “but.. why?...”

Presentations are an integral part of our lives. Although a (lucky?) few people may have managed to escape ever having to sit through another presentation when they left high school, for most of us we are stuck with them. Whether it be the weekly progress presentation at work, presentation of our ideas for books to our reading group, or an impromptu call-for-action to a group of our friends, we spend a huge amount of time watching and performing presentations.

But why are they often so blood-suckingly boring?

We are spoiled these days by captivating, interesting presentations on such platforms as TED, theRSA and others. Stand up comedy is hugely popular all over the world, with new quality acts making it to our TV screens every year.

NaNoWriMo 2013

So this year I'm attempting something a little different. My goal is to write the first draft of my PhD thesis, which is due in next year. As with last year, here's my progress images:

My Progress