Who is my audience? What is my goal? As I continue reading Undoing the Silence, by Louise Dunlap, I believe I am learning and
growing as a writer, part of which has been an increase in my confidence. In Chapter Six, Dunlap challenges the writer
to know their audience. That is so
obvious it just might work! In writing
an email, a report, or a paper, the question remains pertinant, who is the audience? Further, what is their understanding of the
subject prior to reading what I have written?
Dunlap created an exercise in which the writer explores those
questions. The writer is also asked to
look at the beliefs, values and attitudes of the audience. Again, makes good sense Having performed stand-up comedy, knowing and
reading the audience is crucial! If you
are getting crickets rather than roaring laughter, it’s time to switch it
up. Gauge the audience and modify the
material accordingly. That is not to
suggest that the author’s position needs to change, just the way in which it is
relayed. Why did the chicken cross the
road becomes who is watching the chicken cross the road?
Kendra, it does seem pretty obvious that considering your audience is important. But sometimes it is more complicated than that and may actually take some time and effort to figure out how you are going say something or how much detail or background info to give based on who the audience is. Using more simple wording for certain populations or expanding on more complex topics for other populations. I can definitely see how important this is for stand-up! That's a tough task to handle!
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