Satisying the Reader

A good part of any public relations practitioner's day involves writing.  Whether it is putting together a press release, composing a speech, writing ad copy, creating the text for a brochure or the many other communiques with which a professional communicator is involved, much of their average day revolves around the act of sitting in front of the blank screen of a computer and deciding upon the best combination of words to meet the immediate goals of their words and those of the vehicle for which they are intended. As any one who does this can testify, such an act if never not a challenge. Without question, being able to write well is an important for any communicator to have.
But what about the person for whom the written word is intended? Who are they? What kind of person are they? What kind of person takes time from their day to read? To begin, I view readers as risk takers. They know going into an article, a book of even an email, for instance, there is a chance they may not either like what they are about to read or understand it. Thus, they risk frustration or having to take additional time to re-read the piece. For many, this extra time may not always be a commodity they can readily spare. There is a chance, then, their decision to read something may not be a good choice.

Still, readers are curious, seekers of information, open to the written word as a source of entertainment, and in constant search of expanding their base of knowledge. These are good qualities, of course. Given them, this puts a special brand of pressure on the writer to do all they can to address those internal forces that drive readers. Sure, the writer needs to satisfy the person for whom they are writing a particular communique. This bond is overt. But the one the writer has with the reader is just as important even though it may be less out-front. Readers are a demanding lot. They expect much of writers and rightfully so.