Audience

This section explains how you should consider your audience when writing. Understanding the audience for your writing is crucial. Every piece of writing has an intended audience, whether it’s an email, a text message, a cereal box, a political speech, or even graffiti on a wall. The audience refers to the readers you expect to engage with the text, and it will significantly influence how you approach your writing.

In direct messages such as emails, texts, or handwritten letters, the audience is typically one or a few people. The language, tone, and style of your writing will vary depending on factors such as your relationship with the recipient and the context of the message. For instance:

• If you’re writing a quick text to a close friend, your language might be informal, with abbreviations (e.g., "LOL", "BTW") and emoticons (e.g., 😊) to make the message feel more relaxed and friendly.
• However, if you are sending an email for a job application, you will need to use formal language, with complete sentences and polite expressions such as “Dear Sir/Madam” or “I look forward to hearing from you”.

For texts aimed at a broader audience, such as newspaper articles, blogs, or leaflets, you won’t necessarily know your readers personally. In these cases, you’ll need to make educated guesses about your audience to ensure your writing appeals to them. Some factors you might consider when thinking about your reader include:

• Age: Is your audience young or older? The language and topics you choose might differ based on this. For example, a children’s story might use simpler vocabulary and concepts, while a university-level essay will use more sophisticated language.
• Gender: Is the content geared towards a specific gender or more general? Some topics may attract a specific gender, though it’s important not to stereotype.
• Culture: What cultural background do your readers likely have? Writers often tailor their content to fit the cultural expectations or understandings of their audience.
• Specialist Knowledge: Is your audience an expert in the subject, or are they novices? A scientific article written for researchers will use more technical language, while a general public-facing article would be simpler and more accessible.
• Hobbies: Does your audience have a particular interest? A blog about football will use language and references relevant to football fans, while a blog about knitting will speak to those with a knitting hobby.
• Political Leanings: Is your audience likely to have a particular political viewpoint? A political speech may adopt specific language or rhetorical techniques designed to resonate with a particular group of voters.

By thinking about these aspects, you can adjust the language, tone, and content of your writing to better suit the audience you are trying to reach. For example:

• An article for a magazine aimed at astronomers might include technical vocabulary about telescopes, constellations, and space phenomena, whereas the language used in a fashion blog for teenagers would be more relaxed and incorporate current trends.
• A film review in a Sunday newspaper may adopt a sarcastic tone and use literary language to discuss the movie’s deeper themes or artistic merits. This is quite different from writing a set of baking instructions, which would need to be clear, straightforward, and easy to follow, with no unnecessary flair.

By identifying the intended audience, you can choose language, tone, and style that will make your writing more effective and engaging, ensuring it resonates with the readers you want to reach.