Identify Your Reader:
- Your reader reads words, not minds. Never assume that your audience understands your meaning implicitly. You must strive to outline your message with precise wording to avoid a breakdown in communication.
- Your reader “boils things down.” Your audience will read each sentence and seek out the key idea.
- Your reader will misunderstand you, given the chance. This statement is particularly true if you are writing to a manager—a reader who tends to view each situation with optimism.
- Your reader does not have to read what you write. It is your job to make your prose feel effortless to read.
- Your reader is impatient. Your reader expects your sentences to be efficient, requiring one read for comprehension.
