I thought I understood author's purpose, but now I'm questioning everything about the two factors that determine why authors write

[BObo]

I've always been good at identifying whether a text is meant to persuade, inform, or entertain. That's what they taught us in elementary school, right? But now I'm in college and my professor is asking way more nuanced questions about the two factors that determine why authors write.

She says purpose doesn't exist in a vacuum—it's shaped by specific factors. From our readings, I'm gathering that the two main factors are the author's own intentions and the audience's needs and expectations . The author brings their own reasons for writing—to argue, to explain, to recommend—but those reasons only make sense in relation to who's reading. Is that the standard academic answer? I need to get this right for my midterm.

 

[MaryaL]

Your professor is asking the right questions. Elementary school gives us PIE (persuade/inform/entertain) but college digs deeper. The two factors are definitely the author's own motivations and the audience's expectations . Authors write for all kinds of reasons—sheer egoism, aesthetic enthusiasm, historical impulse, political purpose, Orwell said . But those reasons have to be filtered through who's reading. A political purpose lands differently for a friendly audience vs a hostile one. Purpose isn't static—it's negotiated between writer and reader.