Writing Secret 5: Decide on One Ideal Reader

You have some terrific experience in your team, such as pairing, and you decide it's time to write about it. And you have a problem. The developers and testers need one perspective, coaches need a different perspective, and managers need a third perspective. What do you do? Choose one ideal reader and write a piece for that person's perspective. (Once you're done, decide what to write next. You might realize you need a different piece for the other potential audiences.) When we focus our writing for one ideal reader, we attract that reader and sharpen our writing to offer what that reader needs.

Ideal readers help writers organize their logic, and create a piece that flows.

What if you start writing and then realize you have three potential readers? That's fine. As soon as you recognize you have more than one ideal reader, choose which reader to write for now, and finish that piece. (I often discover this when I can't decide which problem to identify in this piece.)

When you write for one ideal reader, you decide who you are and are not writing for. For example, this piece is for people who want to write better and faster, but aren't yet sure about my writing workshop. I hope this content will nudge them over that decision line.

When you choose one ideal reader, your logic flows. Your writing can educate, influence, and entertain that person.

Want to learn how to choose your ideal reader? Join the next writing workshop and learn how.

(This is one post in the intermittent series of “writing secrets”.)