Now think about how this might work in an open letter. Some employ that same kind of insider knowledge. For instance, many of the open letters to Taylor Swift on the internet riff off the titles of her songs, allude to moments from her past or scatter the kinds of “Easter eggs” — or secret messages — that Ms. Swift is known for herself. If the writer’s stated audience is Ms. Swift, and his or her unstated audience is fans of hers, that works well; the readers understand the references.
But what if your audience isn’t that specialized, and you can’t predict what they will know? That is the case with most Times pieces, which are written for a general reader. They assume some background knowledge, but tend to detail anything crucial the reader needs to know. In fact, the way the writer explains those details can be a big part of making their case.
The opening lines of Kurt Streeter’s open letter to Brittney Griner in a 2022 Sports of The Times column are a good example. How do they show that the writer is addressing an audience well beyond Griner, the basketball star?
Welcome home, Brittney. At long last, welcome home.
Like so many others, I wondered if this day would ever come.
Now you are home and safe after nearly 10 months of brutal uncertainty and fear.
Home and safe after isolating imprisonment in a Russia that has cast aside international norms.
Home and safe after getting trapped in a web of geopolitics that grew thicker each day as the war in Ukraine dragged on.
What you endured over the last 10 months is nearly unfathomable. As a Black, openly gay woman, you were in particular danger as a prisoner in a country with dangerous, retrograde views on race and sexuality.
What background information do these opening lines supply for those who may not remember all the details of Ms. Griner’s imprisonment? How does Mr. Streeter’s description of this history and context encourage the reader’s sympathy and respect for Ms. Griner?
Continue reading. How does Mr. Streeter weave in details, facts and quotes to build context and background, and to further his case? Mark all the places where he does that effectively.
To focus on just one example, note how elegantly he includes a quote from an important and relevant person, and how he makes sure, we, his Times audience, know who this person is. Yet he doesn’t do it by citing his source, as you would in an academic essay. Instead, he weaves it in as one would if they were writing a personal letter — as if he’s just letting Ms. Griner know what someone had to say about her:
When I spoke to Vince Kozar, the Mercury’s president, this week, he mentioned the letters you exchanged over the last several months. “At all times, she was asking about other people,” said Kozar, your boss and friend. “Her concern was about other people. First and foremost, she asked how her teammates were doing, asking us to ensure we were taking care of her wife.”
Choose any of the essays from the list at the top of this article that you have already read. This time, focus on how they impart background information. What does the writer let you, the general reader, know that the stated recipient would probably already know? How do they do this well, with strategies you might use in your own writing?