Remember Your Reader

As you rework your first draft, think about your reader. 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. 


Tomorrow, July 20th, we are debuting our newest webinar topic Plain Language: The Key to Effective Communication. If you'd like to learn more about the topic of remembering your reader using plain language, we encourage you to participate in this webinar.