Your Readers

When we're writing an email, letter, or memo to someone, we typically know the exact person we are addressing. However, we don't always get that benefit. Because of this, we have to consider identifying our audience early in the writing process. This step is critical and can be the difference between a document helping the reader and one that leaves them scratching their head 🤔

Have you ever purchased something you have to assemble, opened the box, grabbed the instruction manual, only to see that it may as well have been in another language? 

A successful technical writer has the ability to tailor content to meet the specific needs, expectations, and knowledge level of their readers. We want to steer clear of overloading or under-informing our readers, so we have to identify the audience. Assuming your audience knows too little, or too much can lead to miscommunication and confusion.

I recommend asking yourself the following questions:

1. Will your audience be beginners, intermediates, or experts?
2. Are they seeking assistance with troubleshooting, learning something new, or are they starting from square 1? 
3. Should my readers be addressed in a formal or casual manner?

You could also really benefit if you're able to conduct interviews or surveys for potential readers to provide insight.

A tool that can also be very helpful is PerfectIt. Not only will PerfectIt catch any grammar errors, spelling errors, you can create a "Perfect style sheet" to flag certain terms that aren't right for your audience. Click this link to check it out and start your free trial today:

https://intelligentediting.com/