The Role of AudienceThe Role of Audience

Awareness, Analysis, and Choice

What would you What would you do if the person do if the person you were you were talking to talking to looked like this?looked like this?

In oral In oral communication, we communication, we have the benefit of have the benefit of immediate feedback immediate feedback from our audience.from our audience.

A smile…A smile…

A nod…A nod…

A furrowed brow…A furrowed brow…

We can make We can make adjustments on the adjustments on the fly.fly.

When we speak to people we are constantly assessing their reactions. We can read their non-verbal cues—their facial expressions, body language, and so forth. Sometimes they will even stop us to tell us what they think about what we are saying, or if they don’t understand.

This feedback allows us to make adjustments.

But how does this work in writing?

It’s easy to lose sight of our audience when writing…

After all, isn’t writing a After all, isn’t writing a lone activity? Something lone activity? Something done in quiet solitude? done in quiet solitude? You know the image—the You know the image—the writer alone in his cabin writer alone in his cabin in the woods where no in the woods where no one else matters.one else matters.

Is this an accurate view Is this an accurate view of writing? of writing?

When talking about writing…When talking about writing…

• There’s no right or wrong writing BUT…

• There is writing that is effective and writing that is not so effective

• Who decides if your writing is effective?

• There’s no right or wrong writing BUT…

• There is writing that is effective and writing that is not so effective

• Who decides if your writing is effective?

Writing is about making Writing is about making choices…choices…

• How do you know what choices to make as a writer?

• Every choice you make as a writer should be based on your absolute understanding of just two things…

• How do you know what choices to make as a writer?

• Every choice you make as a writer should be based on your absolute understanding of just two things…

1. AUDIENCE 2. PURPOSE1. AUDIENCE 2. PURPOSE

Audience AnalysisAudience Analysis

• As writers, we need to make a deliberate effort to understand our audience

• We need to do some analysis by asking questions about our audience

• And then keep the resulting image of who our audience is foremost in our minds as we make our choices

• As writers, we need to make a deliberate effort to understand our audience

• We need to do some analysis by asking questions about our audience

• And then keep the resulting image of who our audience is foremost in our minds as we make our choices

PRACTICE:PRACTICE:recognizing the target audiencerecognizing the target audience

Choose the right audience…Choose the right audience…

Dear Sir,

I am sorry to bother you with this, but I just wanted to verify with you an e-mail that I received from Mr. Johnson yesterday afternoon…

Dear Sir,

I am sorry to bother you with this, but I just wanted to verify with you an e-mail that I received from Mr. Johnson yesterday afternoon…

• Your co-worker

• The CEO

• Your cousin in Cleveland

• Your co-worker

• The CEO

• Your cousin in Cleveland

Choose the right audience…Choose the right audience…

Mike,

Johnson sent this to me yesterday afternoon and I have no idea what he is talking about. Does it make sense to you…

Mike,

Johnson sent this to me yesterday afternoon and I have no idea what he is talking about. Does it make sense to you…

• Your co-worker

• The CEO

• Your cousin in Cleveland

• Your co-worker

• The CEO

• Your cousin in Cleveland

Choose the right audience…Choose the right audience…

Hey man,

Wonder if you can help me out. My boss sent this to me yesterday afternoon and I just can’t figure out what he means. What’s your take on it…

Hey man,

Wonder if you can help me out. My boss sent this to me yesterday afternoon and I just can’t figure out what he means. What’s your take on it…

• Your co-worker

• The CEO

• Your cousin in Cleveland

• Your co-worker

• The CEO

• Your cousin in Cleveland

PRACTICE:PRACTICE:audience and word choiceaudience and word choice

your family your family priestpriest

best friendbest friend

4-year old 4-year old sistersister

neighborhood neighborhood pimppimp

someone who someone who doesn’t speak doesn’t speak English very wellEnglish very well

the chief of the chief of policepolice

someone someone you’re talking you’re talking to at a barto at a bar

Guess the audience…Guess the audience…

If you wish to persuade me, you must think my thoughts, feel my feelings, and speak my words.

–MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO