Weaving words for the web

Written by Yvette Nielsen


Continued from page 1

You don’t have to “surf” far onrepparttar web before striking poor writing, bad spelling or just plain offensive copy.

To secure our future and prevent mass bastardisation ofrepparttar 129761 English language, writers must promote their skills now and not be intimidated byrepparttar 129762 technology.

If you can use a word-processing program, you have enough technological know-how to write forrepparttar 129763 web. The emphasis is on “information” not “technology”.

Writing forrepparttar 129764 online reader requires more discipline than even journalism. The experts say people between 25% and 40% more slowly on screen asrepparttar 129765 eyes tire more quickly than on paper.

Web users will not tolerate long-winded prose, unless it’s for a literary site or on a topic in which they are deeply interested.

Writing for web sites is not simply a matter of rehashing existing print material –repparttar 129766 web is already clogged with so-called “brochureware”.

Clean, concise, active, purpose-written copy is essential torepparttar 129767 development of this new medium andrepparttar 129768 web writing profession as a whole.

If you haven’t yet taken your first dip in cybersurf, head to your local Internet café or library and takerepparttar 129769 plunge.

Even if you don’t want to weave words forrepparttar 129770 web, you’ll have a ball spinning yarns with other writers via chat rooms, newsgroups, web sites and email.

Like it or love it,repparttar 129771 future’s online.

Yvette Nielsen writes a popular weekly web site review column for Brisbane News magazine, has developed her own site at http://www.brizcomm.com.au, and conducts web content workshops on how to structure, write and promote sites. Subscribe to her weekly newsletter for free tips and site reviews at http://brizcomm.listbot.com. Email yvette@brizcomm.com.au


How to Break Into Writing for Newspapers

Written by Linda C. Allardice


Continued from page 1
Next, get some ideas together for stories. Find out if there are some community events approaching. Attend a town council or Board of Selectmen’s meeting and see what issues your community or a nearby community is facing. Will there be a new traffic light downtown? Isrepparttar discount store that’s been in business for generations going to close permanently? Are there going to be new regulations for your weekly trash pick-up? Once you have some ideas, callrepparttar 129760 newspaper you’re interested in and ask forrepparttar 129761 editor. Hint: getrepparttar 129762 editor’s name fromrepparttar 129763 newspaper and ask for him or her by name. Introduce yourself and letrepparttar 129764 editor know you are interested in stringing forrepparttar 129765 paper and that you have some ideas for stories you’d like to present. Editors know stringers start out with little or no experience, so don’t be embarrassed to say you’ve never written for a newspaper if indeed you haven’t. If you hearrepparttar 129766 editor start to hedge, offer to do one story for no pay – nothing big, maybe a 300-word piece on a local fund-raising event. Some newspapers allow their stringers to write their stories inrepparttar 129767 newsroom. Some do not. If you happen to string for a paper that does not, you can submit your stories by modem or email. Newspapers count on content to attract advertisers – their bread and butter. And while staffers may get to cover murders, fires, and accidents, it’srepparttar 129768 stringer who often coversrepparttar 129769 news that isrepparttar 129770 most informative torepparttar 129771 community. And stringers are oftenrepparttar 129772 next in line to be considered when a staff position becomes available.



Editor of Footnotes, a free newsletter for freelance writers with articles, paying markets, freelance jobs, conference listings, online courses and more. Go to http://www.oscweb.com/footnotes


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