All writing has an intended audience The audience - individual readers, viewers or a broader group such as teenage skateboarders or middle aged golfers - who you expect to engage with your text. 鈥 from emails, to text messages, ingredients on a cereal package to political speeches - even graffiti on a wall. The intended audience are the readers you expect to engage with the text.
In the case of direct messages 鈥 such as emails, texts or hand-written letters 鈥 the audience is usually the one or two people you address the message to. In this case the language and style of your writing will change according to a number of factors, including how well you know the recipient.
For example, you might use chatty language with emoticons and abbreviations in an email to a close friend. However in a job application email, you鈥檇 be expected to use formal language with full words and sentences.
Other texts, such as newspaper articles, blogs or leaflets are intended for a broader audience. In this context, you are unlikely to know your readers personally and so you need to make assumptions about them. Some writers have an 鈥榠deal鈥 reader in mind. You might consider the following things about your reader:
age
gender
culture
specialist knowledge
hobbies
political leanings
Knowing your audience allows you to choose language and a style that will appeal to them.
For example, an article for a magazine aimed at astronomers might include technical vocabulary to do with telescopes 鈥 language less likely to appear in a fashion blog for teenagers.
Similarly a film review in a Sunday newspaper might be sarcastic in tone and use literary language 鈥 not so useful when writing instructions for baking a cake!