Writing for the Web: Geeks' Edition (Self-Counsel writing series) - Softcover

Killian, Crawford

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1551803038 ISBN 13: 9781551803036

Publisher: Roundhouse Publishing Ltd, 2001

Synopsis

Hundreds of books have appeared on how to design new web pages and jazz up existing websites with graphics, animation, and sounds. But creating an effective website has much more to do with engaging text that people will want to read. This is what draws people to websites and ultimately keeps them coming back. This fourth edition of Writing for the Web includes chapters on blogs and other personal sites, portfolio sites, and corporate webwriting. It also includes links to special download material including reference sites for webwriters and writing/editing exercises. This new edition is the complete solution for anyone wanting to write persuasive and interesting web content that will draw readers to a website and engage them enough that they will add the site to their bookmarks file. Write informative, persuasive content for blogs and personal and corporate web pages. Hook web surfers attention Write informative, persuasive content Develop content for corporate Websites Edit your material for an international audience Adapt content from print media to the web Edit material for an international audience Break print-based writing habits This book will help you write prose that s as good as your code. It includes a convenient, easy-to-use Webwriter s style guide to step you through the rules governing abbreviations, biased terms, capitalization, compound words, and cliches. Exercises will help you practice your new Webwriting techniques, and critiques of real Websites will give you practical advice. Whether you are creating a personal Website, developing your company s Website, or publishing an e-zine, Writing for the Web offers sound advice on writing within the framework of three principles: 1. orient readers to your site 2. inform readers effectively 3. prompt readers to take action so that you get the results you want"

About this title

Review

Publishing on the Web is a very simple task. Publishing content that works well in the online medium and truly communicates effectively is quite another matter. In Writing for the Web, author and freelance writer Crawford Kilian shares his insights about producing just the right type and amount of content for your target sites.

Kilian acknowledges early on his bias toward print publishing, but his viewpoint offers a particularly relevant discussion for other writers moving traditional content to the Web. Throughout the book, he emphasises time and time again his three principles of Web text: Orientation, Information and Action. These principles wisely expand the reader's view from content and grammar to the special interactivity and technical viewing aspects of reading online.

The book is quite brief at only 140 pages, but contains some useful traditional style tips such as using active tense, strong verbs and precise word choices. Ironically though, the book doesn't include any screen shots to illustrate formatting guidelines in action on real Web sites. This lack of visual connection to the presented techniques detracts from the book's effectiveness.

Nothing ruins the first impression of your Web site more than poorly designed content or documents haphazardly ported to electronic form. This book isn't an end-all reference to Web content presentation, but certainly offers some useful tips for writing effectively for cyberspace. --Stephen W Plain, Amazon.com

Topics covered:

• On-screen text
• Web site structure
• Content organisation
• Writing style guidelines
• Web text editing
• Corporate content
• Resumes
• Personal pages
• Marketing

Edition details

• Publisher: Roundhouse Publishing Ltd
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1551803038
• ISBN 13: 9781551803036
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 160