If you find the process of writing difficult, it usually helps to imagine who you’re writing to. When you have a specific and clearly-defined audience, keeping them in mind when you lay your thoughts to paper can do a lot of good at making the words flow.
When writing for a group of young men about to graduate from college, for instance, it’s easy to dream up what their attitudes and concerns are. You can then gear your written piece to serve those very specific attributes, making the whole process an easier undertaking. Since you have them in your mind, you also tend to care more deeply about the information you impart, making certain that it benefits them.
In many ways, having this “picture of your reader” may be the most important writing tool in your arsenal, more powerful than even a sophisticated grammar software. Problems begin when you’re writing for a general crowd and you need to serve a very broad audience. Who will you be writing for then?
When faced with such a situation, I usually imagine writing for a reader of about 12 or 13 years. They won’t be that aware of many intricacies of most subjects, so I have to explain things in greater detail. Since their language skills are probably not that sophisticated, I’ll have to employ clear words and uncomplicated sentences. I’ll patiently repeat important points to make sure they don’t miss it, despite the myriad of distractions the young kids are burdened with these days.
Writing for an audience can turn even the most impersonal composition task into an intimate and noble activity – the way it should really be.
Tags: Audience, readers, specific writing
