To any author, journalist, or general writer, the use of kairos is extremely important. Kairos is a very complex term that can take on a wide and broad definition. Simply put, kairos is all about timing and placement. For any written text or form of media, the timing that it reaches its target audience is essential. If the audience receives the message too early, they may glance over it without much desire or impact. If too late, the audience may have already acted on the writer’s message. It is necessary to reach the desired public in the sweet zone where the topic is pertinent and not yet acted upon.
My topic during this semester is centered on the importance on immunizing newborn children. Therefore the public that I am writing to is comprised of mostly new parents and expecting parents. I know this is my public because this is the portion of the population that can take action on my issue. I plan on reaching them in my first piece through a brochure. The brochure will be conveniently located on a stand that contains other health related literature inside the waiting rooms of doctors’ offices and hospitals.
The idea of kairos was used in deciding how to distribute the message I am attempting to convey. Through putting the brochures in the waiting rooms of doctors’ offices and hospitals, it will reach its target audience at the optimum time. Expecting parents will attend many doctors’ appointments during the pregnancy. This issue is extremely relevant to the expecting parents. Therefore they will read the material and be able to act upon this issue in the future.
The use of kairos within the brochure will also be prevalent. The timing and placement of the information presented in the brochure is extremely important in order to make the greatest impact possible on the target audience. This will be considered throughout the creation of the brochure.
The doctor’s office waiting room as your chosen location for information dissemination is an interesting choice. On one hand I think your analysis that expecting parents will attend many doctors’ appointments during the pregnancy is apropos, but I wonder how you might reach those parents who are skeptical of modern western medicine. Are parents who already trust their doctor your real target? It is also important to not just disseminate information but simultaneously stimulate dialogue. How will the waiting room pamphlet information be transformed into a conversation with the physician? Lastly, while many vaccines are administered immediately after birth how can you keep the conversation going so that vaccines due later in life are also taken seriously? Just some food for thought. Great work though! Really looking forward to the final product.