Module 1 — Effective
writing: Strategies
and principles
| Course Guide | Module 1 | Module 2a | Module 2b |
Analysing your readers
Effective communication has only taken place if you get the response you want from your reader. To achieve this, you need to focus strongly on your reader's needs (not on your own) during every step of the writing process.
When writing memos, emails, faxes, briefing notes, reports and proposals, you may be in the fortunate position of knowing quite a lot about your reader(s). However, there will be situations, especially in communication external to ILO, when you know very little. In these circumstances your task becomes more difficult, and you will need to be careful not to assume background knowledge that the reader may not have. In such cases it is especially important to avoid the use of UNese or ILOese.
It is surprising how many writers forget about their readers. Keeping the reader uppermost in your mind as you write is the single most important means of improving your writing.
