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Title:
Developing Online Content: The Principles of Writing and Editing for the Web
Review:
In line with its aims, this book's title outlines its territory
clearly. It delves into theories underlying sound writing and editing
for the web, as well as their practical application. The writers seek
to fill the large gap left by the wealth of material that concentrates
on online news and e-zines but ignores the mass of other content.
Effective structure and presentation make it appropriately easy to
'navigate'.
Anyone involved in publishing material on the web, including knowledge
or content managers/librarians, will find useful material. It will
also be valuable to professional writers/editors relatively new to web
content, and designers and producers who want to understand more about
working with text.
The authors cover an impressive range. After an introduction and the
importance of viewing content through users' eyes, they deal with
techniques for organising sites and what they call "e-rhetoric: a new
form of persuasion". This chapter focuses on the crucial role of high-
quality content and presentation, examining factors such as coherence
(all parts of the text connecting together clearly and logically) and
online credibility (trusting what you see).
Another section - helpful for non-designers - deals thoroughly with
"visual rhetoric". The remainder of the book tackles linking; how to
think about web pages and screens; different technologies for
delivering content (with a brief look at what's on the horizon);
content management; and working as a web writer/editor.
The forays into the thinking behind some of the principles can seem
daunting. Fortunately the book's clear presentation enables readers to
skip Gestalt and the psychology of art or "the economics of human
attention-structures", and turn quickly to succinct advice in tables
and bullet points. Similarly, the authors sometimes fall into the kind
of jargon they wisely advise against. "A Parasocial Interaction Web
Site Scale" was my favourite. But such terms are explained carefully,
and the user-friendly layout and headings help steer casual readers to
relevant introductions.
The book draws on diverse research, from ubiquitous usability guru
Jakob Neilsen and human-computer interface experts to linguistics
professors, psychologists and philosophers. I particularly liked the
pithy panels in which an expert gives his or her view on topics such
as "Presenting a Complex Argument on the Web" and "Predicting Text".
The examples of poor and good practice are another strength.
There are a few gaps in what is generally a comprehensive volume. I
would have liked more on font/text styles, copyright, and English for
people who don't have it as their first language, for example. And
while the law varies around the globe, it is prudent for editors and
writers to know the essentials of libel (often unintended) and its
dangers. Sadly the publisher has neglected the opportunity to provide
linked examples on its website; indeed, two of the links to figures
from the book failed. Or was that an ironic comment?
Free Pint Reviewer:
Jonathan Hewett is a freelance editor, communications consultant and
trainer. He has been involved in many online projects and print
publications, working with businesses, government agencies and not-
for-profit organisations. Frustration with poorly presented web
content, and clients who struggled to find editors with the necessary
skills, encouraged him to move into editing and writing for the web.
Jonathan has been consulting editor at EUbusiness.com
<http://www.eubusiness.com>, a sub-editor at Nature
<http://www.nature.com>, and editor of The Week in Europe
<http://www.cec.org.uk/press/we/latest.htm>. He edits material for the
Environment Agency <http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk>, the
magazine of the London Cycling Campaign <http://www.lcc.org.uk> and
the IPA <http://www.ipa-involve.com>. He also works as a journalism
trainer, and can be contacted at <jh_editorial@yahoo.co.uk>.
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