Saturday, April 5, 2008

Web writing v. writing on paper

The difference between web writing and writing on paper is that you need to be brief and to the point when writing on the web. Also, make sure that the most important information is at the beginning when writing on the web. Because the attention span of the reader is very short the most important thing is to get the main point out at the beginning. You can also do this when writing on paper but you can also save the main point to the end depending on you argument. Another difference is that what you write needs to be right to the point. No flowery words, just simple. Also, make sure the paragraphs are shorter than writing on paper.

Similarities between paper writing and web writing is that you can use headings in both writing types. Doing this can help the reader know exactly what each section is about and easily navigate their way through a website or a paper. Also, for both you need to make sure your grammar is correct. Now, with certain things on the web you can use "slang" language but if you are creating a website for your business that is inappropriate. So, grammar is important in both.

When transferring a document to the web it is a good idea to convert the document to a PDF file. This way the reader can see the document in its original form. It is also important to consider the following things when transferring the document:

  • guidelines for the website you are putting the document on
  • get permission if the document has a copyright on it
  • make sure the document is in the correct file format
  • make sure pictures in the document download quickly

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