Author's Purpose

Author's Purpose: PIE

An author's purpose is the reason why an author writes something.

The author's purpose can be remembered using the acronym PIE:

Persuade
Inform
Entertain

Persuade

When an author's purpose is to persuade, they aim to convince the reader to believe or do something.
The author might be trying to persuade the reader to:
- Start or stop doing something.
- Encourage the reader to go somewhere.
- Convince the reader to buy something.
- Change someone's mind.
To persuade, authors provide information along with their opinions to convince the reader.
As a reader, determine what the author wants you to do, think, or change, and then decide if they have successfully convinced you.

Example: A letter written to convince a grandfather that the authors are ready for a puppy.

The letter includes promises to love and care for the puppy and examples of responsible behavior, such as consistently completing chores.
The letter's effectiveness lies in presenting both information (examples of responsibility) and opinions (promises of care).

Inform

When an author's purpose is to inform, they aim to provide information and share facts that the reader can understand and learn.
Examples of writing that inform include:
- Newspaper articles
- Textbooks
- Guidebooks
- Instructions
Informative texts often include:
- Definitions
- Examples
- Descriptions
- Illustrations
- Maps
- Graphs
- Charts

Example: A book sharing facts about vampire bats, including a graph showing the number of calls different bats make at night.

Entertain

When an author's purpose is to entertain, they aim to bring joy or interest.
Examples of writing that entertain include:
- Books
- Short stories
- Poems
- Songs
- Jokes
Entertaining writing can evoke a range of emotions, such as:
- Joy
- Excitement
- Fear
- Sadness
- Surprise
Key elements to pay attention to in entertaining writing include:
- Characters
- Setting
- Plot
- Theme or message

Example: A comic book about aliens turning earthlings into pizza, where Superbot is the only one who can save the planet.

Multiple Purposes

An author can have multiple purposes in the same piece of writing.

Example: A movie review that provides information about a movie, expresses the writer's opinion that the movie is not worth watching, and attempts to entertain the reader through humor.