Writing for the web

When writing for the web it is important to remember:

• The point of the story
• The online readers’ attention span
• To keep it short
• We need Google to find it!!!

Plan your article:

What do you want to write about and why? If you can’t summarise your topic in one sentence then you may have chosen too broad a topic to cover so you’ll struggle to fit everything in. Focus on one issue and plan out how you want to tackle it.

Title:

Once you have your article idea you then need to come up with a short title that summarises the topic. We want other people to be able to find it online so give your article a similar title to a search phrase you’d use if you were looking for more information on your chosen topic.

Introduction:

Include a 30-40 word introduction; this is a sentence at the top of your article which will introduce everyone to your idea so make sure to keep it brief and explain your topic clearly.

The story:

Aim to make it no longer than 700 words; online readers have a short attention span so don’t write too much. Write how you would talk. Avoid essay-speak, long words/phrases you never say, like “furthermore” or “one could argue that”. Imagine what you would say if you were mouthing off about this issue to your mates down the pub, then write that. Make sure to use short sentences, use lots of paragraph breaks and include sub headings to separate out the article and make it easier for the reader.

The end result:

Ultimately you gotta have fun with it so give it your best go and see what you can create.