"When I write, I aim in my mind not toward New York but toward a vague spot a little to the east of Kansas"

John Updike's quote speaks to the concept of writing with a particular audience in mind. He is recommending that when he composes, he does not have a specific audience in mind, however rather a more basic one. He is not aiming his composing towards a particular city or area, but rather a more basic area. By stating "a little to the east of Kansas," he is suggesting that he is aiming his composing towards a more backwoods, one that is not too known or populated as New York. This might be analyzed as Updike's method of stating that he is writing for a more basic audience, one that is not as familiar with the hustle and bustle of a huge city. He is suggesting that he is writing for a more rural audience, one that is more knowledgeable about the slower speed of life in a backwoods. By intending his composing towards this more basic audience, Updike is recommending that he is writing for a more universal audience, one that can relate to his writing despite their place.