Coming at the web from the perspective of a writer, it can be easy to despair. You might be used to writing for all sorts of media: newspapers, magazines, books, or even radio, film or television. The web, though, is different enough to what's come before that it demands you sit up, pay attention, and adjust your writing style if you want your writing to work on the web.
Subheadings are Key.
Don't you see what I'm doing here? I gave you a quick introduction, and next I go directly into numerous subheadings. These subheadings divide your article up into clear sections, permitting you to dart around, scan more easily, read the bits you're interested in, perhaps go back and read some you didn't think you were interested in... it is certainly up to you. Internet readers just cannot follow being given a great chunk of text and having to sort through it themselves - they want clear sections in your writing.
Make Sensible Paragraphs.
When it comes to the web, paragraph splits are, surprisingly enough, less necessary than they are in print. You will make your site look odd if you put in a paragraph break after every sentence, or every two sentences. Instead, split paragraphs when you start a new idea - note that if you combine two, many readers won't register the second. In most cases, you shouldn't go for too many paragraphs before introducing a new subheading. Your aim at all times is to make your page as easy as possible for a reader to scan.
Lists are Always Good.
If you're about to write out a big list with commas and semicolons, stop. Semicolons have no place on the web. Instead, you should be using lists, complete with bullet points, to get your point across effectively. Treat it less as prose and more as a presentation. Clear presentation of information lets people find what they're looking for more quickly.
Without a doubt, you should not go overboard with the lists. If you have more than one list in a row, or your list goes on for longer than ten items or so, you may want to consider revising the layout of your writing.
Don't Be Afraid to Link.
It might feel strange at first, but link whenever you're talking about something that isn't included in an article. You're quoting a dictionary or encyclopaedia definition of something? Link to it. Are you reviewing a website? For goodness' sake, link to it! There is absolutely no justification for fear of linking: it's the way the web works, and if you're not linking when you could, you're not writing for the web.
Subheadings are Key.
Don't you see what I'm doing here? I gave you a quick introduction, and next I go directly into numerous subheadings. These subheadings divide your article up into clear sections, permitting you to dart around, scan more easily, read the bits you're interested in, perhaps go back and read some you didn't think you were interested in... it is certainly up to you. Internet readers just cannot follow being given a great chunk of text and having to sort through it themselves - they want clear sections in your writing.
Make Sensible Paragraphs.
When it comes to the web, paragraph splits are, surprisingly enough, less necessary than they are in print. You will make your site look odd if you put in a paragraph break after every sentence, or every two sentences. Instead, split paragraphs when you start a new idea - note that if you combine two, many readers won't register the second. In most cases, you shouldn't go for too many paragraphs before introducing a new subheading. Your aim at all times is to make your page as easy as possible for a reader to scan.
Lists are Always Good.
If you're about to write out a big list with commas and semicolons, stop. Semicolons have no place on the web. Instead, you should be using lists, complete with bullet points, to get your point across effectively. Treat it less as prose and more as a presentation. Clear presentation of information lets people find what they're looking for more quickly.
Without a doubt, you should not go overboard with the lists. If you have more than one list in a row, or your list goes on for longer than ten items or so, you may want to consider revising the layout of your writing.
Don't Be Afraid to Link.
It might feel strange at first, but link whenever you're talking about something that isn't included in an article. You're quoting a dictionary or encyclopaedia definition of something? Link to it. Are you reviewing a website? For goodness' sake, link to it! There is absolutely no justification for fear of linking: it's the way the web works, and if you're not linking when you could, you're not writing for the web.
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