What is an Audience

  

   An audience is a person - or group of people - reading a text, listening to a speech, or watching something, eg an advertisement or film.

When writing a text, authors imagine an ideal reader - someone who will respond in a way that achieves the purpose of the writing. For example, someone who visits a place of interest after reading a tourist guide designed to inform and encourage them to visit.

Texts appeal to an intended target audience, eg a piece about ‘selfies’ is intended for teens. Texts can also have more than one specific audience, eg children’s stories are for children but must also appeal to the adults who will buy them. Writers tailor their writing to an audience by adapting:

Language – simple vocabulary and sentences structures are suitable for younger children whereas 

specialist terms

 are often attached to a specific topic.

Style – a chatty, informal style appeals to young adults, as well as older readers if the text is light-hearted whereas a formal style suits serious or academic topics.

Layout and organisation – layout will focus the audience’s attention on important parts of the text, gradually guiding them through the ideas, eg a charity leaflet may begin with a focus on the problems and why the reader should donate - and then end with how to donate.