ActNow writing tips
A one-pager about writing for ActNow
Submitted
3/04/2006
By
actnow
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Updated
11/05/2009
Photographer : philcampbell @ flickr
Get into the ActNow head space
- Think of the content as more of a conversation with a friend than an essay.
Plan what you’re going to write before you write it
- Map your content. Are you going to use headings? If so, what will they be? What are the main points or arguments? In what order should you present them? How can they be connected?
Use words you know and that your readers understand
- ‘Big’ words are not great if they’re used incorrectly or if your reader doesn’t ‘get’ them.
Keep sentences and paragraphs short
- Say it in the fewest words possible. It’s not easy. You’ll need to read and revise your work a few times to get there.
Use words not phrases
- regarding… instead of… with regard to
- although… instead of… despite the fact that
- because… instead of… due to the fact that
- before… instead of… prior to
Start with a grab
- A sentence or sentences that will make an impact and convince the reader to read on. What would get your attention?
Use headings to guide the reader
- Web-users often scan pages before deciding to read a page or not. Headings are an easy way to show readers your content at a glance.
Say it out loud
- Read what you’ve written out loud. If it’s hard to say, it probably means that it’s to hard read.
A little distance goes a long way
- Put some distance between you and your finished work. Revise it again the next day or a few days after that. Make your changes before submitting it for editing.
A picture tells a thousands words. A cliché but true.
- Select an image to complement each piece of content.
- Check you have permission to upload the images you choose. If you are not creating the images yourself, a good place to start is a creative commons search on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/creativecommons
- Write a caption for each image and credit the photographer or artist.
