People often ask me, if there was one piece of advice you could give me as a writer, what would it be? Answer: Remember your reader! It is always all about the reader. As you think about to whom you are writing, consider these three important categories:
• Level of Knowledge: What does the reader already know about your topic? How much background information does the reader need to make a decision? Or will the reader pass your information up the chain of command?
• Relationship: What is your connection with the reader? Direct report? Peer? Supervisor? Potential client?
• Personality: What kind of qualities and traits does the reader have? Does your reader prefer facts with ample data or a more informal tone? Does your reader understand and enjoy reading words and phrases such as "interoperable intermodal transport systems"? Or would a simpler style work better?
The more you know about your reader, the easier it is to determine how much and what kind of information to include in anything you write.
0 comments:
Post a Comment