Perhaps even a little more human.

We forget that our work is read by humans with real problems, who have better things to do than read our work. Sorry to burst your bubble, but it's true. Let's do these humans service of seeing them for who they are: people who need to get an important task done without aggravation.

Please don't read this as a call for elimination of audience analysis from writing process. An audience analysis is beginning of focus. And end point is Uncle Henry, who wants to retain few hair follicles he has left on his head. Not add them to sack of dough he must send to his Uncle Sam.

Putting yourself into readers shoes requires effort. It forces you to take on what may be unfamiliar roles. In a way, it is playacting.

Sounds like fun to me. And I for one can use all fun I can get.

Copyright (c) 2002 Michael Knowles. All Rights Reserved.

About Author:

Michael Knowles is a business writer and publisher of www.WriteThinking.net. He shows business professionals how to write with power and clarity. Visit his professional site at http://www.mwknowles.com/, or send e-mail to coach@mwknowles.com for a free consultation.

Weeding is a great pastime. Its a bit of a break from intensive writing, so that you can absorb, digest, and relax. In reality, it’s reading your written material as a reader, not a writer. The weeds that writers grow can prove to be pretty stubborn hindrances. They pop up whenever and wherever they choose. They could be our favorite or pet words that are used too often, or they could be a private belief that we inadvertently add to everything we write. So, writers have to weed just like gardeners. The only difference is that we sometimes plant weeds ourselves. Somehow they didn’t seem like weeds when we chose them.

Whatever you write will never be harmed by some careful weeding activity. But be gentle, because sometimes when you pull that weed, your own feelings feel tug. Of course, we all put a little bit of ourselves into everything we write, and that’s good. Its when we add just a tad too much that our final product suffers. So, pull those weeds, take care not to disrupt good plants, and harvest will amaze you. Happy weeding! ENJOY ! ©Arleen M. Kaptur 2002 June