The forms of writing -- particularly the inverted pyramid news story -- that have served us so well in writing for print also work well for writing on the web. They provide a beginning point for us the learn about how to prepare content for the web.

The strength of the web is information. The challenge of the person who is going to work with the web is to prepare and present that information. The form that information takes must be suitable to its content and must be usable to its reader (consumer, visitor, user, etc.)

In preparing content for the web, we should look at two things simultaneously:

• writing style
• visual variety

• The strength of the web is information. The challenge of the person who is going to work with the web is to prepare and present that information.
• Writing for the web should be journalistic -- succinct, direct, conversational and attentive to the expectations of the reader.
• Writers for the web should look for ways to introduce visual variety into their writing.
• Concision is a concept that writers for the web should study and practice.
• For your midterm, you will be asked to write an inverted pyramid news story.
  

More lecture notes, etc.


Readings

Make sure you have read chapter 6 in the text, Writing for the Mass Media.


Reading room