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Here are some steps to figure out an author's intended audience.

First, think about the author's purpose.  Is it to:

• Inform readers about an issue?
• Persuade readers to do something?
• Entertain readers?

Second, think about:

• Who would be interested in this topic?
• What is the author's tone (earnest, sarcastic)?
• What is the meaning behind the message?
• What is the author trying to convey to the reader?
• What is the author's view on the subject?
• Does the author have a bias? What is it?

Answering these questions will help to understand the author's purpose, which will lead to the intended audience.

Finally, keep in mind that the intended audience could be:

• A single individual (like in a personal communication)
• A group of people (children for a juvenile book or chefs for a cooking article)
• The general public (speech from the president) 

Authors usually have an intended audience in mind when they write.

Here's a resource of interest: Determining an author's intended audience.

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