Web Writing

Web Writing

Importance of Web writing
- Printed documents are still a preferred way of reading and delivering many kinds of documents. But...
- Given this reality, it is important that all mass media practitioners know how to re-purpose print docs for the web, and more specifically, how to write effectively for the web.

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Web Content
One form of writing that the Web shares with print is the inverted pyramid.
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Short paragraphs
using 3-4 sentences at most
visible enticements for the reader to read.
lots of white space
single space paragraphs and double space between graphs
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Headers, Hyperlinks, Bolding, and Lists
all emphasis techniques that help readers scan text more quickly
use hyperlinks effectively
make liberal use of headers
bold key phrases
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Headings
readers look at headings and subheadings first
Newspapers and ad campaigns have some of the best headings writers, so studying them is a worthwhile investment of your time.

Kinds of Headings
short, direct and ideally us keywords

Question Headings - readers read with questions, so questions make good headings (but not yes or no answers!!)

Statement Headings - these use a noun and a verb such as Ravens drop 7th straight  that appears on the front page of the Balimore Sun online.

Topic headings - these are a word or short phrase such as Day in Pictures on the front page of BBC site

For Consistency, try to stick to one kind of heading throughout ###


Headline writing rules

Sometimes a verb or part of a verb from is understood but not explicitly stated:
- Smith on team's final roster
- Murfreesboro man charged with robbery
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Subheadings
every few paragraphs
pick out a word or phrase
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break it up into manageable links
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Bolded Words and Phrases
solid blocks of time can make the page look

Listsused to aid ease of reading
help readers keep track of steps
add white space to the page
give a sense of chronological order
include a lead ###

Hyperlinkstoo many can be confusing and difficult to read
should be supportive of the message of your page
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Link Etiquette - warn of offsite links
- provide link titles on hover
- group links or consider putting them in a box- link to the page of info ###

"pretend you're high schoolers"

Wrote headlines in-class mine are below:

7-8 words

Write a headline

Story 1 :
- Teen Mothers getting paid for not getting laid
- Money Motivates Teen Mothers with new Program

Story 2 :
- Ring! Ring! Your homework is calling!
- Dial in for success
- So Call Me Maybe
- Homework Hotline just got HAWT

Story 3 :
- Slippery shoes cause havoc
- Championship slips from under team's feet
- Shoe defect slips up basketball teams
- CAUTION: Floors are slippery when wet

Story 4 :
- WANTED: Testosterone in MCHS Theatre Dept.
- Our theatre needs more testosterone

Story 5 :
- If you’re gonna rob a bank...
- “This iz a stikkup”
- Alleged robber denied because of competitor’s stationary
- How NOT to rob a bank.

Story 6 :
- 15-month-old appears in court
- DUI? Blame the baby!  (original idea from Chris Bishop)

Story 7 :
- ?MS
- “911, What is your emergency?”
- Putting the “Emergency” in 911
- Putting the E in E911
- E is for Emergency

"Writing for the Web"

my favorite phrase from the handout: "personal superfluous information"

such as: "My name is John, I've been an amateur gardener for three years, and I created this page using Shovelworks for Imagemaker ... "

Know anyone who does this in person all the time?? Cough, Patrick, cough, Barry...