Download - Writing for the Web
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Writing for the Web
Howard Hudson, EditorEuropean Journalism Centre
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Image: Inju (Flickr)
Reading used to be relaxing...
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PrintNewspapers / magazines consumed more slowly
→ read at breakfast, on trains or planes→ more passive and relaxed: you get what you're given→ articles need to stand alone: they need to include background→ supposedly neutral, but often tailored to certain groups (education level, political orientation, etc.)
e.g. in UK, Sun / Daily Mail, Telegraph / Guardian
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Web
Web articles are often read after Googling, via RSS feeds or in between other tasks → more active and rushed > 'user-driven'→ articles can be shorter because they need less context > can link to archived material→ if readers don't know a word or concept, they can check online...
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Image: Wikipedia
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How little do we read on the web?
Between 20-30% of text on an average page
Higher literacy = higher scanning Assume 200-250 words by minute Around 4 words per second
Data: Jakob Nielson, www.useit.com
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Web: pros and cons
• Web = a linking medium = more distractions
• Readers filter information and 'cherry-pick' sources
→ WEB EDITORS = FILTERS = STILL IN DEMAND!
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Web: pros and cons
Web 2.0 has one BIG advantage:“You remember 10% of what you read, 50% of what you read AND hear, and 90% of what you read, hear AND interact with.” (Niels Thøgersen, DG Communication,
European Commission)
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Image: BuddhaMunx (Flickr)
Make the most of multimedia. Create podcasts, mash-ups or just add comments
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Major questions
Questions for new media outlets: → how do we build up our credibility?→ how do we make our product stand out from the media tsunami?→ how do we find our niche in the market?
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How to win credibility?
• Know and serve your audience in terms of style, perspective and desired content
• Find a unique angle and voice• Be consistent: Create or adopt a style guide
(BBC, AP); use either US or UK English
• Avoid exaggeration and marketing: obscures facts and loses you trust
• Use concise and objective text, esp. in headlines and summaries
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Headlines
Headlines need to be short, but make sense on their own:→ on average 5 words, 35 characters→ concise yet rich in information→ people often arrive via lists or feeds, with small and uniform text→ people often skip summaries
→ headlines are 'shop-fronts' for articles: people ignore unattractive/untrusted until recommended
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HeadlinesFront-load!→ first few words are key: for hooking readers and
improving Search Engine Optimization (SEO)→ open with main names or concepts from article→ old, precise words are best for SEO: people search
conservatively→ use the passive voice if it helps you front-load → drop a's and the's: saves space, ensures better
alphabetical listings
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Headlines and summaries
avoid 'clever' or novel words, unusual abbreviations, politically correct phrases → confuses people and search engines
don't repeat headline words early in summaries
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Keeping attention: Layout...
Use bullets or numbered lists→ Add sub-headings for chunks of text: descriptive
better than catchy (esp. for international audience)→ Format headings with bold or italics→ Use graphics and galleries
Use decimals (12 not twelve) → use 3 million rather than 3,000,000→ spell out non-factual numbers (thousands of cows, not
1000s of cows)→ use exact numbers to add credibility→ ok at start of sentences
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Keeping attention: Content
→ one idea per paragraph→ post updates, e.g. statistics (see Reuters)→ link to other sites: shows you've done your research
→ 'Front-load' article: begin with main position or conclusion, add key info, then essential context... aka the 'Inverted Triangle'
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Long or short articles?
“A mixed diet that combines brief overviews and comprehensive coverage is often best” Jakob Nielson
→ Write short blogs (eg 800 words), with links to longer articles or research papers (eg 2000+ words)
→ Serves everyone: those who want a quick, light read and those who want more detailed info
→ Use links to longer articles rather than repeating the same background. Don't add to the 'media tsunami'...
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Finding your voice...
'Three guides to writing: Structure, struggle and alcohol'
→ Write about what you care about→ Don't ramble or play with words→ Don't be pretentious→ Pity your reader: keep things simple and clear→ Click here for the full article.
(Kurt Vonnegut)
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Finding your voice...
Freewriting→ Begin with speed writing (e.g. 30 minutes)→ Then stop and do nothing but revise for the
same length of time→ Writing and revising use different parts of brain
(Peter Elbow)