writing for the web
DESCRIPTION
Lecture given to students at the European Journalism Centre in Maastricht, January 2010.TRANSCRIPT
Writing for the Web
Howard Hudson, EditorEuropean Journalism Centre
Image: Inju (Flickr)
Reading used to be relaxing...
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
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...
Image: Wikipedia
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
Web: pros and cons
• Web = a linking medium = more distractions
• Readers filter information and 'cherry-pick' sources
→ WEB EDITORS = FILTERS = STILL IN DEMAND!
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)
Image: BuddhaMunx (Flickr)
Make the most of multimedia. Create podcasts, mash-ups or just add comments
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?
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
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
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
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
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
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'
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'...
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)
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)
