Why is it helpful to know who you are writing for?

Thinking about the real people who will be reading your words is one way to break through any writer’s block you may be having.

As you sit down to write, don’t think of yourself as staring at a blank screen. Think of yourself as starting a conversation about your ideas with real people, just as you’ve done many times with colleagues, friends, students, and stakeholders in your institution or organization.

And think about the different groups of people you’ll be conversing with. In general, you want to think of yourself as speaking to the widest possible audience.

Keep that large audience in mind as you decide how you will explain things to them.

From an editor’s point of view, thinking about your audience is crucial.

As we work through your document, every time a question arises about the organization, the wording, and the design of your project, we’ll resolve it by considering the needs of the audiences who will be reading our finished product.

To be a successful author, you don’t just want to write words down. Your job is to get your words across to the people who will read them.

 Step Two:  Know your big idea.