It is advantageous for YOU (as a writer) to keep your target audience small (in number) because:

• the number of things valued by the target audience tends to increase as the numeric size (of the target audience) increases, and
• the diversity of things valued by the target audience tends to increase as the numeric size (of the target audience) increases .

The Advantages of Choosing a Small Audience

The things valued by the target audience (in a given context) tend to be fewer when the target audience is smaller (in number).

• Since things valued (by the target audience) often need to be incorporated into a text (to motivate the target audience), having fewer things valued tends to (metaphorically) make easier the task of writing effectively
• Since things valued (by the target audience) often need to be incorporated into a text (to effectively motivate the target audience), having a narrower diversity of things valued tends to (metaphorically) make easier the task of writing effectively

Down-sizing a Target Audience

Once you've finished choosing a viable target audience, down-size it (in order to make the task of effective writing easier).

Here are some tips for downsizing (a target audience you have chosen):

• Narrow the AGE RANGE of the target audience (since things valued tend to vary by age)
• Narrow the gender range of the target audience (since things valued tend to vary by gender)
• Narrow the REGION (geographic area) inhabited by the target audience (since things valued tend to vary by region)
• Narrow the parental-status range of the target audience (since things valued tends to vary by parental status)
• Narrow the ETHNIC RANGE of the target audience (since things valued tends to vary by ethnicity)
• Narrow the marital-status range of the target audience (since things valued tends to vary by marital status)