Ghosting Authenticity: Characterization in Corporate Speechwriting
Issue Date
2011-04Author
Bruss, Kristine S.
Publisher
Sage
Type
Article
Article Version
Scholarly/refereed, author accepted manuscript
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
One of the most distinctive stylistic virtues of speechwriting is characterization, the art of capturing a client’s voice in a believable and engaging manner. This article examines characterization in the context of corporate communication, interweaving an interview with veteran executive speechwriter Alan Perlman with accounts from the ancient rhetorical tradition. As the analysis shows, Perlman’s approach to characterization confirms long-standing rhetorical wisdom yet incorporates insights that reflect the contemporary corporate context in which he has worked. The analysis also calls attention to enduring tensions in characterization—tensions between imitation and representation, effectiveness and ethics, and dramatic character and trustworthy ethos.
Description
This is the author's accepted manuscript. The published version is available from Sage at http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1050651910389147.
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Citation
Bruss, Kristine S. “Ghosting Authenticity: Characterization in Corporate Speechwriting” Journal of Business and Technical Communication, April 2011; vol. 25, 2: pp. 159-183. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1050651910389147
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