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When it comes to writing for the web, you have to grab your reader’s attention quickly.
In many cases, you have just seconds before they click away.
That’s why shorter is better. Shorter paragraphs. Shorter sentences. Shorter words.
A newbie mistake when it comes to online content is to write like you’re trying to impress your eighth grade English teacher. If you’re writing for your eighth grade English teacher, you’re doing it wrong.
Your eighth grade teacher may have liked big words and complex sentences, but your readers won’t.
In this post, I share six easy steps to help you tighten your online content. If you liked this post, you may also like Five Proofreading Tips That You Can Use Right Now By Yourself.
6 Steps to Tighten Your Writing
If you’re writing quickly it’s easy to use extra words that add no real value to your content. Tighten your writing by checking over your copy before you publish it.
I’ve included a list of five things to check. Most of these can be found by using your word processor’s search tool.
Next time you proofread your content, look for following common problems:
- Run-on sentences. The word “and” often connects two (or more) independent clauses. Make each clause its own sentence.
- Long words. Avoid long words. If the word has more than two syllables, try to replace it with a shorter word.
- Passive voice. Be careful about using passive voice. Search for passive words like “be” and “is.” Make it active when you can.
- Stilted writing. Write like you talk. In web writing you can use fragments or start a sentence with “and” or “but.”
- Vague phrases. Replace vague phrase like “many” or “a lot of” with exact data to reel in readers.
- Typos and spelling errors. Look for misspelled words and typos. These mistakes turn many readers off.
Remember, choose every word carefully. Use only those words that add value to your content. Be frugal with your phrases. You have mere seconds to attract your reader.
Your Turn
How do you check your web content before you publish it?
5 responses so far ↓
1 Jeremy // Mar 25, 2014 at
Another thing that drives me mad: those that haven’t heard of the paragraph … long columns of sentences without paragraphs to make it all breathe makes it look all ranty and hard to read!
2 Laura Spencer // Mar 25, 2014 at
Jeremy,
It’s so true. Paragraphs are even more important for web writing than they are for print publications.
A sure sign of a beginning writer is when the entire post is one giant paragraph, often with no images or formatting whatsoever.
3 Samantha Gluck // Mar 26, 2014 at
Love the tips, Laura! I’m a stickler for active voice – just ask any of the staff writers over at RTL/AMF. As you mentioned, passive voice can add too many unnecessary words to your copy (not to mention, it’s boring).
I do edit as I go, but sometimes I’m in a flow and I just keep going, knowing I have written some cumbersome and word-obese sentences. I just leave them until I’m done and then I go back and seriously cut the fat.
Recently, I tried that Hemingway App just for fun. Boy does that app encourage brevity in writing! I think that it’s a bit too brief and succinct in many cases…sometimes you need a little more depth to a story or post. But, it was a learning experience. I’ll use it again for sure.
4 Laura Spencer // Mar 27, 2014 at
Hi Samantha,
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. 🙂
It’s so important to review your copy after you’ve written it. It’s easy to miss one or all of these points if you don’t.
I’ve heard it said, and I believe it, that it’s hard to see your own mistakes. That’s why I also try to let some time pass before I review my copy. Even with that precaution, I sometimes miss things.
That’s where a checklist like this can help.
5 Are You Making These 5 Careless Writing Blunders? // Sep 19, 2014 at
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