Aim Your Writing At The Right Level

There are different levels of communication. As a writer, you need to be clear about who you are aiming toward.
Here are three possible levels:
· Personal, inviting and friendly.
· Informational; but still casually friendly.
· Educational and formal.
Most writing will fall roughly into these categories.
Personal writing is, well, personal. This can range from the not-to-seen-by-anyone personal to the published writing which is of a personal nature.
It could be sexually intimate, or casually friendly. It could be a note to your Mum; a card for your sick neighbor; a letter of thanks to the man who helped you when your car broke down.
While people might like to have a sneaky peak at someone else’s diary, and some well-written diaries have been published; this sort of writing isn’t generally intended for publication.
On the other end of the spectrum for this level could be those true-life inspirational stories that tell of how people have got through a difficult trial, or are pushing ahead to accomplish something great despite all the obstacles. The tone is friendly and inviting – or sometimes disturbing and even frightening – but there is a feeling as if you are in the same room as the writer, hearing and seeing the story played out before you. It is indeed personal.
Fiction is often written in the 1st person point of view to better convey this personal level of writing.
While this is wonderful for many stories, it is not appropriate for all, so let’s move on.
Informational writing is probably the widest range. It includes such writing as:
· Most non-fiction.
· Some fiction – which may be using the frame of a fictional plot in order to say what life was like during a certain period in history. Historical Romances, for instance, often fall into this category.
· Advertising – often written with a casually friendly tone to help readers, listeners and viewers to be more attracted to the product.
Educational writing is aimed at readers who just want the facts. It’s most often seen in text books, and has little appeal to the emotions of the reader. It tends to be ‘dry’.
Is it valid? Of course. There are times when a reader just wants the facts, and to bring an informal tone to this writing might even cause a reader to suspect that the material is not correct.
Aiming for the right level – an analogy.
Is it important to know what level to write for?
Imagine yourself now at a family gathering. Suddenly, your Great Uncle gets up to speak. He begins to relate some history about the wars of the 17th century, and talks for half an hour on the facts of who went in what battle and what armour they wore, and how many people they killed. Your eyes begin to glaze over. You try to be polite – but really; this just isn’t appropriate for a family get-together!
Getting up quietly, you sneak out to the lounge. There are plenty of people chatting here. You’re on your way to say hi to your cousins, when someone steps in your path. He’s big, has a friendly smile plastered on his face, and he’s in your personal space. You try to move around him, but he insists on telling you in a loud voice about how his Uncle overcame baldness using a special product created by none other than…
Squeezing between him and the seat behind you, you squirm away and escape. Finally, you get to sit and chat with your cousin Joe, who proceeds to tell you about how he and his sister walked the mountain track the previous week. Captivated, you urge Joe to continue.
Finally, someone is talking at the level you want to hear.
Write appropriately for the level you’re aiming at.
Do you need help to write better? Do you want some inspiration to put your thoughts into words? Could you do with some encouragement to develop your writing skills?