Role of the audience

In his book, On Writing Well, William Zinsser states that “you are writing for yourself.” He explains that if you write with enjoyment, “you will also entertain the readers who are worth writing for.” Try to write about smaller events that are active in memories. They contain more information that will readers will connect with in their own lives.

Although I agree with much of what Zinsser writes, I do think we are always writing for an audience. Whether it is for a group of readers, specific individuals or yourself, as Zinsser suggests, there is always an audience. Keeping your audience in mind while you write can help you strategize how to tell your story or market an idea. Writing is a form of expression that can be used to tell a story, an opinion or even to market a product. Understanding who you are writing for is essential in establishing a tone.

It’s important to write for your audience. If you are writing the local news, you will be writing for that region with specifics the reader will relate to. I think it’s important to envision who your reader will be in order to properly write to this audience. When you know who you are talking to, your tone, use of vocabulary, and personal style will adapt. This will help you connect to the reader as you figure out how to write for them. In E.B. White’s, Approach to Style, he states to make sure the reader knows who is speaking. “Dialogue is a total loss unless you indicate who the speaker is.”

I agree with Zinsser’s statement, “Don’t try to visualize the great mass audience. There is no such audience—every reader is a different person.” The reader will have their own interpretation. It is essential to understand the reader to set your tone and direction throughout your writing without trying to please a larger group. It is a balance. It comes down to what you are writing about and who it is for. The important thing to remember is to have passion and creativity in everything you write and you will always have the readers attention.

Effective Online Writing

The Battle for my Life in the New Yorker, is a perfect example of a well-written long-form essay. Long-form essays are articles with large amounts of content, usually between 1,000 and 20,000 words. They are often written in the form of narrative journalism or creative non-fiction. Due to the length of these articles, it’s incredibly important to write in a way that draws in the reader.

The article immediately drew me in. It was as if Emilia was speaking directly to me, telling me her story of absolute bravery. The content of the essay as structured is an easy to read format that brings you through her struggles both in the present and the past. There was no confusion in going back and forth as it was organized in a way that made sense to the reader. Each point is broken into different paragraphs for easy readability from one scenario to the next. The style of the writing and the layout of the page were simple and kept me focused on the content.

She describes specific details such as her mum slumped in the chair to really give the reader a visual. This pulls you further into her story, really feeling her emotion. “My mum slept in my hospital ward, slumped in a chair, as I kept falling in and out of sleep, in a state of drugged wooziness, shooting pain, and persistent nightmares.” I actually found myself reading it in her voice which connected me on an even deeper level.

The way the article was written will appeal to a large audience of readers. The format is organized well and the narrative content is very easy to read and connect with. It has a simplicity to the style and usage of words that flows easily as you read. It has a clear direction and attitude throughout.