This component is the basis for many other decisions you must make as a writer. With this, you form the programming for your decision making throughout the rest of the writing process.

What is your objective? What do you seek to accomplish? Who do you seek to convince? Are you trying to convince someone of something? Of what?

In order to determine your purpose, you must determine the questions you need to answer to determine your purpose, then answer them. These questions are not the same for everyone. This part is on you.

The more you know about where you need to go, the better you can plan to get there. Spending the time figuring this out before writing will pay off dividends later on.

My memo had a very, very specific goal. I did not waver from that goal in my writing. I was only able to stick to my goal because I knew my goal completely. My objective was to convince the City College Of New York to change the way they handle scheduling, to specifically abolish the practice of cancelling classes just before the semester begins leaving students on their own.

Now that my objective is clear, I can figure out what I need to do to get there.

My takeaway is this: Spend time figuring out what YOU want.