Author's Purpose- How to Inform and Explain Effectively
What Author's Purpose Actually Means
Author's purpose is the reason a writer creates content. That's it. No deeper mystery. Writers write to inform, explain, persuade, or entertain. Sometimes they blend purposes, but one usually dominates.
This article focuses on the two purposes people mess up most: informing and explaining. Most writers think they know how to do these. Most are wrong.
The Difference Between Informing and Explaining
These get mixed up constantly. They're related, but not the same thing.
Informing means delivering facts, data, or knowledge. You report what is. News articles, encyclopedic entries, reports. The reader's job is to absorb.
Explaining means helping readers understand why something works or how something happened. You make the complex clear. Tutorials, analyses, cause-and-effect pieces. The reader's job is to comprehend.
Good writing often does both. Bad writing does neither.
Examples That Make This Clear
Inform: "Water freezes at 32°F (0°C)."
Explain: "Water freezes at 32°F because the hydrogen bonds in water molecules slow down enough to form a crystalline structure, which takes up more space than the liquid form."
See the difference? One delivers a fact. The other makes the fact make sense.
Why Most Writers Fail at These Purposes
- They confuse explaining with lecturing. Talking at someone isn't explaining.
- They bury the lede. Readers shouldn't have to hunt for the point.
- They overcomplicate simple things to sound smart.
- They under-explain complex things because they assume readers already know.
- They add fluff to hit word counts instead of adding value.
How to Inform Effectively
Information without structure is just noise. Here's what works:
Lead with the Most Important Information
Journalists call this the inverted pyramid. Put the conclusion first. Then support it. Then add context. Readers decide in seconds whether to keep reading. Don't make them wait.
Be Accurate or Be Silent
If you're not sure about a fact, don't guess. Look it up. Cite sources. One wrong statistic destroys your credibility on everything else you write.
Use Concrete Details
抽象 is enemy number one. "Sales increased significantly" tells me nothing. "Sales increased 23% quarter-over-quarter" tells me plenty. Specific numbers, names, dates, outcomes. That's information.
Organize for Scannability
Readers scan before they read. Use:
- Clear headings that say what each section is about
- Short paragraphs (3-4 sentences max)
- Bullet points for lists
- Bold text for key terms or numbers
How to Explain Effectively
Explaining is harder than informing. You need to understand something well enough to make it clear to someone who doesn't. Here's how:
Start With What the Reader Already Knows
Connect new information to existing knowledge. If I'm explaining blockchain to someone, I might start with "Imagine a shared Google Doc where everyone can see edits but no one can delete history." That anchor makes everything else click.
Use Analogies and Examples
Analogies bridge the gap between unknown and known. "The heart is a pump" is an analogy. It doesn't tell you everything about the heart, but it gives you a working mental model.
Examples make abstract concepts concrete. Don't just explain what something is. Show how it works in practice.
Break It Down Step by Step
Complex processes need sequential explanation. Numbered steps. Clear transitions. Each part should build on the previous one.
Anticipate Questions
Think about what a confused reader would ask. Address those questions directly. If you find yourself writing "this might seem confusing, but..." — stop. Make it clear instead of apologizing for the confusion.
Use Visuals When Appropriate
Sometimes a diagram explains in seconds what paragraphs can't. Don't force it, but don't avoid it either. A well-placed image or table can replace 500 words of explanation.
Common Mistakes That Kill Clarity
Jargon without definition. Every field has jargon. Don't assume your reader knows it. Define terms the first time you use them, or avoid them entirely if a simpler word works.
Passive voice hiding the actor. "Mistakes were made" is cowardly. "We made mistakes" is honest. Be direct about who did what.
Unnecessary complexity. If you can say it in five words, don't use fifteen. Short sentences are almost always clearer than long ones.
Forgetting the reader's perspective. You know your subject. Your reader doesn't. Write for them, not for your peers.
Comparing Informing vs. Explaining
| Aspect | Informing | Explaining |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Deliver facts and data | Build understanding |
| Reader's task | Absorb information | Comprehend reasoning |
| Structure | Inverted pyramid, organized by importance | Sequential, builds from known to unknown |
| Tone | Objective, neutral | Guiding, pedagogical |
| Tools | Statistics, facts, quotes, citations | Analogies, examples, step-by-step breakdown |
How to Get Started: A Practical Framework
Before you write a single word, answer these questions:
- Who is my reader? Expert, intermediate, or beginner? This changes everything about your approach.
- What do they need to know or understand? Be specific. Not "they need to know about marketing" but "they need to understand how to calculate ROI from content marketing."
- What do they already know? This determines where you start. Don't insult experts with basics. Don't lose beginners by skipping fundamentals.
- What's the single most important thing they should take away? If a reader remembers only one thing from your piece, what should it be?
Once you've answered these, outline before you write. Not a fancy outline. Just the order of your points. Make sure each point follows logically from the last.
The Writing Process
Write the point of the piece first. Not the introduction. The actual point. Then write the body. Then write the introduction last — it'll be easier because you know what you're introducing.
After your first draft, ask:
- Is everything here necessary? Cut what isn't.
- Is everything necessary explained enough? Add where you glossed over.
- Could this be simpler? It almost always can.
The Bottom Line
Informing and explaining are skills. They require practice and intention. You get better by doing them, analyzing where you lost readers, and fixing it next time.
No one writes perfectly on the first try. But you can write clearly if you focus on the reader's needs, not your own need to sound impressive. The best explanations make the writer seem invisible. The reader understands. That's the whole point.