Audience of one
Posted on: February 25, 2019
I think about an audience of one in two contexts.
The first is my daily musings on this platform. When people tell me they read my blog or ask me why I reflect daily, I tell them that I do not write for them; I write for me.
I think out loud, but organise my thoughts as I do. It is a habit and a discipline. It is one way I learn.
The second way I am reminded about writing for an audience of one is when I provide feedback on essays and grade papers. Students submit these papers as a requirement for course work and get a grade at the end of it.
They invest time and effort for an audience of one — me. Some do their best, some do not care. A few are skilled or learn to write for the reader, but most are not or do not.
Writing for the first audience of one is current and public. It has reach and impact that I cannot predict. I know why I keep doing it.
Writing for the second audience of one is a relic of schooling and even university education. It tends to stay in the confines of a course and makes little impact (if any). So why do we keep doing it?
Another dot in the blogosphere? 
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