After knowing how important the digital writing is, the next question you might have is, "How do I start writing in digital platform?"
Beside these principles below, you must note that writing in digital platforms means you will publish it through internet. We know that unlike a print writer who can focus on communication skills with written words, internet means interactive multimedia plays big role.
In my previous writing, I mentioned that we can easily incorporate many types of media in single production of writing, such as audio and visual. Since that, the digital writer must be expert in variety of techniques (Garrant, 2006):
- Writing to be read (copywriting, poetry, journalism)
- Writing to be seen (presentations, video, film)
- Writing to be heard (narration, radio)
I summarize some tips you can use to make digital writing, so here you go!
First, make sure you write the main point. Keep it clear and concise and thus your writing is going to be brief. Readers have short time; they can easily swipe up your writing. Since that, "Prune your prose"---Caroll (2010). Perhaps, you can try with re-write the sentence in the same meaning but with fewer words.
Open your sentences with main idea and let the weaker elements be written below (Clark, 2008). Besides, place strong words at the beginning and at the end. The emphatic word which appears at the end helps to strengthen the point you want to deliver.
Next, tell the people your idea earlier, be accurate and be sure you understand what you are writing (Garrant, 2006). It is important because writing means you gonna tell something, even if you are going to amuse the readers. Checking your facts is very important, especially for you who work and write to inform or narrate things based on reality.
There are few common points you have to avoid of when writing (Caroll, 2010):
- Using the terms of all, nobody, always, everything, none (overuse of articles and pronouns);
- Stereotyping;
- Plagiarism;
- Oversimplifying;
- Generalizing because it will be affecting your conclusion.
Third, appropriate words determine the usability of your texts.
Use precise word, "When I use a word it means exactly what I say, no more and no less."-- Humpty Dumpty in Through the Looking-Glass (Caroll, 2010). It means you know exactly the right word to deliver message, not one that sounds close.
How often you are trapped into misunderstanding after thinking you deliver the precise word and imagine if you don't. Dictionary and thesaurus should be closed to you.