TYFA ch.26 and the five canons

Cicero explains that there are five canons, or tenets, of rhetoric which are invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery. One thing to remember about these canons is that they were originally created with a focus on public speaking, however most are also very applicable to writing and rewriting.

The first canon, invention is all about processing and coming up with the material that is being but onto the page.  This has everything to do with the research you do, brainstorming, and drafting what you are writing about.

Canon number two is arrangement.  In writing the arrangement stage is still around the time of drafting.  You are deciding what points should go where in your writing and how you want to organize your material.

The third canon is style, style is simply how you put together your thoughts and put them on the page.

The next canon is memory.  This canon is not as applicable to writing as it is to public speaking seeing as it is simply be able to remember your topic and points during a speech or address.  Memory is the process of committing a text to memory.

The fifth and final canon is delivery.  Delivery is the presentation of your work whether it's in the form of a speech or the delivery of the words you have written on the page.