On Writing Well: The Audience

I have always thought that when one writes a piece for a specific audience, the purpose is to write specifically to them and to appeal to their senses. After all, I have been trained as a designer that the overall look and feel should appeal to those who you are trying to reach. I have learned from this reading though, that when considering the audience there is a dual process involved when deciding what to write. You are indeed writing to an audience and the focus and subject of the piece has to be directed to them; however, the style of the piece should reflect your personality so it feels real. Obviously not everyone is going to "get" your style, but when the reader feels the warmth behind the words, he or she is much more likely to read on. Thus the goal of the piece has been achieved. This approach would never even have occurred to me had I not read this chapter, simply because the two aspects in developing the piece seem to be on almost opposite poles - and yet it makes perfect sense...