If you don’t know your audience and you don’t write to that audience, then it matters not what you write – it will not resonate.

The Michael Masterson quote is on target, also.

Ken’s comment about rhythm is interesting; I’m gonna look into that…

Certainly the purpose of non-fiction writing is first and foremost to communicate an idea. The first step in that process is to make the idea clear.

I like to think of it as getting the words out of the way.

I do, however, think that writing style has an important part to play.

Just to play devil’s advocate for a minute, you could liken writing style to a salesman – and it’s not always the best product or the most knowledgeable salesperson who wins out.

Does the style suit the message? Does the style resonate with the reader or prospect? What image does the style portray?

A writing style (or sales style) can immediately turn people off – regardless of the content – in which case the content becomes largely irrelevant. It can also engage and encourage you to go further into a topic you may not have considered previously.

Of course, finding the right style in print – or sales – is largely down to knowing the audience you’re speaking to.