Just as writers have purposes, so do readers. Among other purposes, readers often want to learn about a subject, assess or evaluate ideas and arguments, or understand opposing perspectives. And like writers’ purposes, readers’ purposes are strongly affected by their own needs, interests, and backgrounds. Mia’s needs and interests regarding green jobs for military veterans, for example, were driven by her awareness of the challenges faced by friends and family members who had served in the military. Her readers were probably drawn to her post by similar personal experiences — knowing unemployed veterans, working in green jobs themselves, living in a region with many unemployed veterans, or simply having read an article or having heard a radio report about the issue.

As writers craft their contributions to a written conversation, they ask who their readers are likely to be. They reflect on their readers’ values and beliefs, determine what their readers are likely to know about a subject, and take into account their readers’ likely experiences — if any — with the subject. They consider what readers need to know about a subject, and what readers might be interested in knowing. They ask why potential readers would want to read their document — and what might cause readers to stop reading. In short, writers try to understand and connect with their readers.