Basic rules of online writing
Be concise and get straight to the point.
We are all overwhelmed with information. We don’t want more of it; we want it to be better quality.
Be engaging
- Keep it relevant.
- Keep it interesting.
- Keep it quick (apart from anything, it’s got more chance of being read).
Before you start
Think about what you want to communicate.
- Note down the key points.
- Put them in the most logical, engaging order.
- Decide your beginning, middle and end.
- How much space (or how many words) do you have?
- Consider your medium - what size screen will your reader be using? Are they likely to print your words?
- Identify your reader - get a clear picture of her in your head (and if necessary, write it down, give her a name, it’s easier if you can imagine you’re writing for someone you know).
Halve the word count
Reading is around 25% slower on screen and users are impatient.
Halve the number of words you would normally use.
Where something in print would be two hundred words, make it one hundred on screen.
This demands careful editing: you do not want to dumb down the text by stripping away too much of the meaning.
Rigorous editing often improves a piece and the discipline of writing for digital media will force you to think clearly about the message you want to convey.
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