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Writing for the Web: Basic Principles. A Slide Show by Crawford Kilian. Web Consumers. Lookers: TV refugees Readers: Print refugees Users: Information grabbers Shoppers: Online bargain hunters Listeners: Audiophiles. Web Content Producers. Merchants Governments NGOs Schools Advocates
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Writing for the Web: Basic Principles A Slide Show by Crawford Kilian
Web Consumers • Lookers: TV refugees • Readers: Print refugees • Users: Information grabbers • Shoppers: Online bargain hunters • Listeners: Audiophiles
Web Content Producers • Merchants • Governments • NGOs • Schools • Advocates • “Talkers”: Self-publishers, bloggers
Communication Models • Instrumental model: • “Do what I say.” • Constructivist model: • “Is this what you want?”
Web Readers: • Slower readers (-25%) • Skimmers and scanners • Impatient • Addicted to jolts
Text on the Computer Screen • Low resolution = hard to read • Author can’t control page appearance • Print text doesn’t work except in archives
Principles of Webwriting • Orientation • Information • Action
Orientation • Where am I? • What’s this site about? • How do I get around it?
Orientation Elements • Minimalism • Coherence • Headlines, subheads, blurbs, links
Information • What do you have to tell me? • Is it in a format I can use?
Information Elements: I • Who’s your audience? • What’s your “exformation”? • Organization: narrative, logical, categorical? • Clarity • Correctness
Information Elements: II • Hooks: • Direct address • Quotation • Question • Unusual statement • Promise of conflict • News peg
Information Elements: III • Links are self-explanatory • Visit CBC Radio Overnight • Blurbs give more reasons to go there • Great programs for Canadian insomniacs
Information Elements: IV • Chunks • 80-100 words • Break into short paragraphs • Use subheads if helpful • Scrolling Text • Include internal links to speed navigation • Bulleted lists
Action • “You” attitude • Positive attitude • Response cues • Solve a problem • Easy response • Quick response
Editing Webtext: I • Active voice • Concrete Anglo-Saxon words • Strong verbs • Simple sentences (under 20 words) • Short paragraphs (under 5 sentences) • Frequent headings and subheads
Editing Webtext: II • Don’t respect the text! • The 50% rule • Print out to proofread
Edit for Global Readers • Short sentences, real subject first • Positive language • Avoid slang, idioms • Avoid phrasal verbs (write up, write down) • Avoid “miniword” clusters (as a kind of a way to make the reader confused)
The Subtext of Webtext • Register: public or intimate? • Nonverbal message • Can undercut verbal message • Always more trusted than verbal message • Built into site structure and graphics as well as text