“Consider your audience,” goes the oft-cited rhetorical advice. But there is plenty of writing whose purpose has nothing to do with “persuading” an audience of anything.

And at the end of the day, you can’t make anybody hear anything anyway. (Ever raised toddlers? Taught school? Worked in politics? Gone through an airport? Yeah. You can’t force it.)

Writing Prompt

Be your own first reader. Let go of “telling” anybody anything. Assume no one is listening. Just say it so that you can hear it.

Set a timer. Have at it: what do you need to hear?