Determining Your Reader
Invent your Reader - Know your Reader
Demographics/Psychographics - generalize about the demographics of your intended reader. Consider age range, gender, educational level, socioeconomic background, occupation, political orientation, religious beliefs, cultural and ethnic values and any other aspect that defines your reader.
Relationship between the subject and the reader - describe the readers level of knowledge about the subject, the depth and breadth of that knowledge. Consider the attitudes and values the reader holds toward this topic (positive, neutral or negative) and define these as clearly as you can. Think about what motivates the reader, what they need, want, desire, care about, etc. And think about how that connects them to the subject.
Relationship between the writer and the reader - describe any preexisting relationship between the reader and the writer and any expectation or problems this might create. Describe 1) the role you will assume, as the writer, in relationship to the reader and 2) the role you expect the reader to assume. Are you the authority? Are you the novice? Will you guide them, chastise them or encourage them? Will you ask them to be your equal, your partner in the transaction? Will you take on a superior voice, be bossy, or directive or terse? Will the reader need to feel sympathy or concern? Will the reader perceive you clearly or will you be distant?
-By Debra Stevens, University of Montana Communications Department