Tag: tips for writing

Writing for Web: Blogging – Getting Started

On By R. PettyIn Writing for Web and Tips2 Comments

“Everyone who’s ever taken a shower has had an idea. It’s the person who gets out of the shower, dries off and does something about it who makes a difference.” – Nolan Bushnell

So, you’re in the shower and you think, “Wouldn’t it be cool to start a blog or website?” The answer is yes. It is very cool and totally doable with the tools and technology available.

This week’s chapter is all about blogging, but I would like to add a little spin. Let’s talk muse, too.

Felder gives some great ideas for getting started. The first decision to make is what to write about? Some questions you can ask yourself are:

What makes you mad?

What makes you smile?

What hobbies do you enjoy?

What is your passion?

Is there a topic you can talk about for hours?

What do you want to learn more about?

Now take those questions and pick a topic. Then decide if you can write a lot of content about it. If not, expand your topic. For example, if you like haunted houses you may want to extend that to all places haunted, which may include lighthouses, castles, asylums, prisons, etc.

Make a list of topics (these will later be blog posts). Write them down for as long as you can, and always keep a pen and paper handy. A friend gave out a tiny composition book during a blog session a couple of years ago, and it is still in my purse just in case.

We at RevPub like to have a stockpile of ideas too because sometimes you just don’t feel creative or want to work a lot on something. In those instances, what should you do? Here’s where the muse comes in.

 The Muse

Muse: The source of your inspiration that gives you new ideas and topics.

Most people have something that inspires them. It can be a child, job, lifelong dream or goal, best friend, or successful people in the world. It doesn’t matter what your muse is or how you find it; the important thing is to find it, hold onto it, and let it guide you.

If you feel your muse has abandoned you, don’t worry. Felder suggests taking a walk, listening to music, aromatherapy, and even eating chocolate. Other strategies I found are TV shows like Shark Tank and Supernatural, yoga, and hanging out with people who have similar interests. In fact, most of my Writing for Web posts are done with a horror movie in the background. All of these can get your mind moving in the right direction, so just pick what works for you and go with it!

Now that you have a category and topics, it’s time to research a little. Felder advises looking at other sites and blogs about similar topics, making notes about what you like and don’t like, and deciding how to make yours better. This is an interesting exercise and allows you to improve your writing and style before you write your first post.

With all those in mind, get started. Pick a site to blog on – WordPress and Blogger are both free and very popular. Be sure to check in next week when we’ll discuss scheduling, content, and readership.

In the meantime, tell us this: what is your muse? Do you have tips for others on how to find inspiration?

Writing for Web: Instructions and Processes

On By R. PettyIn Writing for Web and TipsLeave a comment

Have you ever put an entertainment center together? What about watched a YouTube video of how to do something? Or maybe you like to try new recipes?

If you have done any of the above, you followed instructions. This week’s chapter is about writing instructions and process, and how to do so effectively. Felder explains the dos and don’ts, and this is a longer chapter, so I encourage those who want the full scoop to buy Writing for the Web.

How to Write Instructions and Processes

1. Determine who your audience is and what materials they need.

2. Write an introduction to your project. Felder suggests an overview, summary or anecdote.

3. Use numbers to write a step-by-step process for the task. I find doing the process while writing it helps you avoid missing steps, and you are testing your process. That’s multitasking!

4. Write a conclusion. Felder encourages ending on a positive note with a fun sentence or anecdote.

5. Proofread your instructions. (You knew I would make that a step).

6. Should you add photos, screen shots, or video to explain your process? Visuals are great additions.

7. Pull it all together, and have someone else test it.

8. Revise as needed.

9. Upload and publish.

10. Ta-da! You have successfully written a process.

Process writing is my favorite type of writing, and I have written them for years. I love the feeling when someone goes through the process, takes notes, and uses it as a reference. That is what I get out of writing.

Tips for Writing Instructions and Processes

Now that you know how to write a process, let’s go through the dos and don’ts.

  • Keep it simple. Use simple language and familiar terms tailored to your audience.
  • Don’t preach or lecture. This is important with video and audio, too. Give your instructions some life.
  • Learn the different learning styles. This helps you cater to your readers, and will help you decide what to add.
  • Use commands and be straightforward. Don’t worry about being bossy; you’re there to help.
  • Don’t over or under explain. Your audience doesn’t need every single step, so stick to major steps. During testing, you can adjust the process accordingly.
  • Break up lengthy steps. Don’t put more than one step in a numbered item. A lot of people do not read ahead, so too much information may frustrate them.
  • Have fun! If you have fun writing it, your audience will enjoy reading it.

Felder discusses other tips, but many of these are writing rules in other chapters. Writing instructions and processes are great ways to practice writing, too.

Now it’s your turn. What is your favorite thing to write about? Could you turn it into a process or instructions?

Writing for Web: Rhetorical Modes

On By R. PettyIn Writing for Web and TipsLeave a comment

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Write what you know?” Well, let’s challenge that advice. What’s wrong with researching something you don’t know and writing to learn about it and teach others? The important question is: What is your goal?

Chapter 10 discusses rhetorical modes: narration, description, explanation, and argument. These ancient ideas have worked for centuries, but how do you apply it to 20th-century Web writing? It is true that most writing crosses over into several modes, but practicing them separately will give you a better understanding of how they work and how they are effective.

In chapter 10, Felder repeats a lot of ideas from previous chapters, so it’s a little redundant. A better way to present this information is to define what your goal is, and use the rhetorical modes in order to accomplish that goal. If you’re not sure where to start, try these ideas from the chapter:

Narration – Tell the reader what happened. This is great for personal experiences, and try with who, what, where, why, and how?

Description – This mode explains how something happened. These are the nitty-gritty details that can either bore your readers or keep them wanting more. There is a fine line, so make sure you find a happy medium.

Explanation – This makes your writing easier to understand. This mode is more common in explaining processes, cause and effect, and used to compare and contrast ideas. Think simple. Your readers will understand your ideas and find you more credible.

Argument – Who doesn’t love a good debate? Whether it’s a political debate or an argument written for entertainment or discussion, arguments get people talking. Use this mode to persuade your audience to think on their own or side with a particular viewpoint.

Point of View

Another important topic in this chapter is Point of View. POV is very important, but not for reasons you may think. For example, have you noticed this post is written in second person? If so, kudos. If not, it’s no big deal because many people do not pay that close attention.

The important thing is consistency. If you bounce between I, you, and he/she, you will irritate your readers and lose their attention. Here’s a cheat sheet:

First person = I, me, we, our, etc.

Second person = you (Yes, I am writing to you the reader)

Third person = he, she, they, them, etc.

So, before you try only writing what you know, try a topic you know nothing about. Some ideas could be fly fishing, biotechnology, BASE jumping, fashion, teen movies, auto mechanics, sea dragons. Then choose your mode(s) and point of view, and see what happens! You will learn something new and teach someone else through your writing exercise.

And remember, it’s not what you know, it’s what you’re willing to learn.

Writing for Web: Grammar

On By R. PettyIn Writing for Web and Tips1 Comment

Grammar is not sexy. It is not exciting or glamorous. But grammar is important.

I’m a proofreader. I hear more times than I can remember, “I couldn’t do what you do, I couldn’t read all day, or Ugh. How do you do it?”

I love what I do, that’s how. I am a proud grammar Nazi, word nerd, or whatever other name you call me. I read your articles, stories, texts, ads, and statuses, and catch the errors. I am not perfect, but I am your best friend.

This chapter discusses why grammar is important, and I agree with Felder 100 percent. You don’t have to know every rule, but you should know if you’re good at grammar or not. If you are, hone your skills. If you are not, make friends with someone who is. You will grow to love them. We’re not monsters, just rule-driven perfectionists.

So why does it matter?

Because you want people to take you seriously. You want readers to stay on your page and come back. Without good grammar and spelling, your readers will think you’re a joke. You will become one of the people who is a YouTube hit due to their crappy writing. And, anyone who knows better will make fun of you.

Not all grammarians are bad. I don’t proofread texts or personal emails, and when I do proofread, it is to make it better. That’s our end goal: try to make it perfect. With that said, here are a few tips to help you:

1. When in doubt, look it up. It takes three seconds to search something. Webster, grammarbook.com, and Grammar Girl are great tools.

2. Read it aloud, slowly. You will be amazed at how many changes you make. In fact, you are reading my third or fourth version of this post!

3. Don’t be shy. Have everything proofread: posts, resumes, cover letters, anything that someone else will read. The other reader doesn’t have to be a proofreader, but it is always better to have an extra set of eyes on something.

4. About commas and apostrophes: If you are unsure about using one, don’t. It is more forgiving to overlook a missing one than to draw attention to a misused one.

5. Decide when you can break the rules. Sometimes it’s okay to end a sentence with a ‘to’ or ‘with’. Break the rules when you feel it’s necessary for Web or creative writing, but try to follow them in professional letters and resumes.

6. Use spell check. Pay attention to those red squiggly lines.

7. Respect proofreaders; don’t begrudge them. They work hard to know the rules and only want to help.

If you keep these tips in mind, you will improve your writing. The world is moving toward incoherent speech more and more, and if we do not fight it, we will sound like the people in the videos below. Enjoy the laughs, because they are hilarious, but know that could be you if you’re not careful.

And my personal favorite:

Writing for Web: Style

On By R. PettyIn Writing for Web and Tips1 Comment

Beethoven had style. He was one of the most famous composers and pianists in the world, and I quote a dear friend who said Beethoven was, “the heavy metal of classical music.” This week I attended Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center and was inspired to tie in the experience into this week’s topic.

Style is different from grammar. It’s not about comma rules and parts of speech, it’s about consistency and professionalism. Felder advises Web writers to create a style guide or use a well-known one. Which style you use depends on your audience, but I recommend the following:

The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law (for articles and reviews)

The Chicago Manual of Style (for articles and reviews)

MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (for scholarly writing or research-based projects)

The Elements of Style (creative writing or any of the writing types above)

This may seem like a hefty list of sources, but pick one and stick with it. However, proofreaders should be fluent in all of the above to make themselves more marketable and knowledgeable.

So why is style important?

Imagine sitting in the symphony hall. The musicians and chorus members are wearing whatever they could find. Some are in sweatpants, others in gowns, some are wearing bright neon shorts, and others have flashy jewelry. The audience is so distracted by the performers’ attire they are not able to focus on or appreciate the music.

This is what readers experience when reading content with inconsistent style. In one sentence you may see website, in another Web site, somewhere else 7, then seven. If you are inconsistent, your readers will think you are indecisive and unprofessional. Where there are inconsistencies, there is chaos.

Now imagine the symphony hall where the female musicians are in white tops and black bottoms, and the men are in tuxedos. The chorus above them is dressed all in black, and everyone is performing in perfect harmony. You not only have organic flow, but the main focus is the music not the wardrobe.

Most companies need and have a style guide to keep readers focused on the content and product. This also shows you care about the content, therefore, you care about your audience’s ability to understand it.

Another topic Felder discusses is personal style. This is important because you want your readers to connect with you. So, before you start writing, answer these questions first:

1. Will you use text lingo? Will everyone know what the emoticons and acronyms mean?

2. Are clichés okay? What age group are you targeting? Will they understand the meaning if you use them?

3. Is profanity acceptable? Many writers agree this is only okay in creative writing and projects.

4. How will you address your audience? Will you write to them or about them? For example: one must write well in order to succeed OR you must write well in order to succeed.

Once you address the questions and start to create a style guide, you are ready for the world to see your personal style. It doesn’t matter how cool, trendy, or professional you are; if your readers have to work to understand you, they won’t come back. Remember to keep it simple, and make your content the best it can be. We can’t all be Beethoven, but we can show our audiences we care what they think.

Writing for Web: Writing Succinctly?

On By R. PettyIn Writing for Web and Tips2 Comments

For the first time since reviewing Writing for Web, I disagree with much of what Felder discusses in chapter 7. Reviews and discussions wouldn’t be as interesting if we agreed all the time 🙂

In the chapter Writing Succinctly, Felder explains her tips for achieving tight, easy-to-read content that your audience will enjoy. A few of her tips suck the fun out of using language, and if you follow these tips 100 percent, your writing will read like a book report.

I assigned a win or fail rating to each tip as you go through these. They are all important, but use your common sense and own style. That’s what’s most important.

Tip 1: Stay Focused

Win – Read your content and ask yourself, “What does that sentence mean?” You will feel the flow as well to ensure you’re not rambling.

Tip 2: Be Positive

Fail – If we were positive all the time, the world would be boring. Some of the best content, movies, art, etc. are not positive and provoke debate. Sometimes you have to be negative. Where would the Internet be today if people were always positive?

Tip 3: Trust Your Reader

Both – Don’t over explain something or break down every sentence. Although, in technical writing you have to. You know your audience, so trust your instincts.

Tip 4: Choose Anglo-Saxon Words

Fail – Felder recommends using simple, one syllable words over French or Latin/Greek counterparts. For example you would use ‘end’ instead of ‘finish’ or ‘conclude’. This takes the fun out of the language, and if your writing is clear and entertaining, it doesn’t matter what words you use. If you fine-tune your work for meaning and intent, your audience will understand and appreciate it.

Tip 5: Eliminate Excess Words

Win – Take out unnecessary words and find shortened words. Read your writing aloud, and you will hear what you can cut/change. Examples are: that, got, has gotten, all of a sudden.

Tip 6: Keep Verbs Alive, Cut Adjectives and Adverbs

Win – Avoid ‘to be’ verbs. Review the post for Chapter 2 if needed, and remember that descriptive words are not always needed, nor do they make your writing better.

Tip 7: Don’t Use Arrogant and Snooty Words

Fail – Some words Felder uses as examples are: indeed, certainly, of course, and exactly. These are not snooty words, and writers who use these are not trying to be better than their audience. Keeping these words may not tighten your writing, but if you lose your voice or personality, what’s the point? Just be yourself.

Tip 8: Avoid Happy Talk and Sales Pitches

Win – Don’t be over-the-top nice or try to sell your readers. If you follow tip 3, you should trust your readers to see through you and think you are fake. People want to enjoy reading, not feel like you are trying to buy or patronize them.

Tallied up, the score is 50/50, and I will continue to use ‘indeed’ and ‘question’ if those words fit the bill. Don’t forget, you are the final judge.