The Pile I’m Standing In

[live blogging – please excuse typos, grammar, and lack of links]

10 Types of Web Writing: And how to execute them professionally. Lisa Stone and Lynne D. Johnson walk you through everything from short-form sign post blogging to long-form essay blogging.

Lynn Johnson
Fastcompany.com editor
Lynndjohnson.com

Lisa Stone
Hard print writer & editor

- – -

Conversationswithdina.com – engaging readers in conversation, dialogue

“I write because I want to, I can, and I must” crossleft.org

Ten types of web writing

1. readers
2. presentation
3. word choice
4. conversations
5. headines
6. attribution
7. link blogging
8. essay blogging
9. question and answer
10. reviews and how-tos

First four most change in mindset from print – when a reader picks up a magazine, they know what to expect. When they find your blog, they don’t know who you are or what you’re about.

The words we write today have more impact than ever before because of internet media.

Is wrting for the web an art or a science? BOTH

Are… our words are our identity online
Science…

READER

How effective a writer are you? Ask someone in your audience.

PRESENTATION
How does it look on the page?
How connecting with the reader visually?
Down drown your blog in text!!!

WORD CHOICE – even in headlines
“funny ha-ha or funny peculiar?” –betsy devine
Clarity
Professionalism
Voice
Punctuation
Profanity – to swear or not to swear?
Buzz

CONVERSATIONS
Do you want to have one or not?
How important are the conversations to you?
Open comments or closed comments?
Verymom.com
Closed comments isn’t really a blog, it’s publishing, or content-provider
… or is it? Much discussion.
Exchange of ideas

HEADLINES
Clear
Interesting

ESSAY BLOGGING
Some do not have comments, use more as a publishing tool
Academic
Storytelling
Story arc

QUESTION AND ANSWER
Mommybloggers.com

REVIEWS AND HOW-TOs
Format
Lots of white space

BUZZ
Use of celebrity names, subtle, not contrived