Download - Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Transcript
Page 1: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

SARA QUINN / THE POYNTER INSTITUTE FOR MEDIA STUDIES

The importance of writing in the digital age

Page 2: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Writing is the commondenominator in media.

Page 3: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

What sort of writing is needed for:

Page 4: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

What sort of writing is needed for:

social media?

Page 5: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

What sort of writing is needed for:

social media? a newspaper?

Page 6: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

What sort of writing is needed for:

social media? a newspaper?a TV news report?

Page 7: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

What sort of writing is needed for:

social media? a newspaper?a TV news report?tablet or a mobile phone?

Page 8: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club
Page 9: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

How do you read?

Page 10: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

How do you read?a novel?

Page 11: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

How do you read?a novel?a breaking news story?

Page 12: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

How do you read?a novel?a breaking news story?about buying a new camera?

Page 13: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

How do you read?a novel?a breaking news story?about buying a new camera?about medical symptoms for child?

Page 14: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

How do you read?a novel?a breaking news story?about buying a new camera?about medical symptoms for child?about the best weekend getaway?

Page 15: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Instapaper.com

Page 16: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Instapaper.comLongform.org

Page 17: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Instapaper.comLongform.orgLongreads.com

Page 18: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

http://plympton.com/

Page 19: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

98%

80%

71%66%

62%73%65%

56%50%

52%

75%

66%55%

49%

In our study, more text was read online, regardless of length.

1 THRU 4INCHES

5 THRU 7INCHES

8 THRU 11INCHES

12 THRU 18 INCHES

19 OR MOREINCHES

OnlineTabloid

Broadsheet

Story length:

67%

Aver

age

perc

ent o

f sto

ry re

ad

Page 20: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Does this mean thatall online stories should be long?

Page 21: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Nope.To be practical, it really depends on the device and the situation.

Page 22: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

What do people want?How much time do they have?Where do they want it?

Page 23: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

A brand new observation while studying how peopleread on iPads and tablets:

Page 24: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

An overall average of a minute and a half (98.3 seconds) was spent on the first storya person selected to read.

THE BEHAVIORS:

Page 25: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

An overall average of a minute and a half (98.3 seconds) was spent on the first storya person selected to read.

Of the people who did not finish reading a story,they read for an average of 78.3 seconds before leaving the story entirely.

THE BEHAVIORS:

Page 26: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

An overall average of a minute and a half (98.3 seconds) was spent on the first storya person selected to read.

Of the people who did not finish reading a story,they read for an average of 78.3 seconds before leaving the story entirely.

We’ve been calling this the “bail out point.”

THE BEHAVIORS:

Page 27: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

And it might be a good benchmark for establishing a “gold coin” to keep the reader engaged about halfway through a long story.

THE BEHAVIORS:

Page 28: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

This could be a simple pullout quote from someone who has yet to appear in the story.

THE BEHAVIORS:

Page 29: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

This could be a simple pullout quote from someone who has yet to appear in the story.

Or, an informative visual element that keeps the reader interested.

THE BEHAVIORS:

Page 30: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

This could be a simple pullout quote from someone who has yet to appear in the story.

Or, an informative visual element that keeps the reader interested.

Or a quick summary of key points to help the reader feel satisfied withwhat they’ve learned.

THE BEHAVIORS:

Page 31: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

How do you readwhen you are searching?

Page 32: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Scanning readers are searching the page, rather than reading word for word.

Page 33: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

When they are looking for information, theyread subheads and the first words of paragraphs.

Page 34: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Some might call this information foraging.On the Web, we hunt for facts.

Page 35: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

When people are looking for information, theyread subheads and the first words of paragraphs.

Page 36: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

There are times when youmight want to keep thingsshort and sweet.

Page 37: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Our buddy, Roy Peter Clark argues that any story can be told well in just …

Page 38: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Our buddy, Roy Peter Clark argues that any story can be told well in just …

800 words

Page 39: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club
Page 40: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

A few tips for writing:

Page 41: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club
Page 42: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Never bury the lead.You can’t usually afford to bury the lead because if you do, few readers will get to it.

Page 43: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Don’t pile on.In an effort to seem as current as possible with breaking news, sites will often put the latest development in a story at the top — no matter how incremental the development.

Page 44: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Write tight and lively.Write actively, not passively.

Page 45: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Write tight and lively.Good broadcast writing uses primarily tight, simple declarative sentences and sticks to one idea per sentence.

Page 46: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Write tight and lively.Good broadcast writing uses primarily tight, simple declarative sentences and sticks to one idea per sentence.

It avoids the longer clauses of print writing.

Page 47: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Write tight and lively.Good broadcast writing uses primarily tight, simple declarative sentences and sticks to one idea per sentence.

It avoids the longer clauses of print writing.

You’re writing for the ear. How can youhelp the listener to see what you’re saying?

Page 48: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Write tight and lively.Writing for the web, tablet and mobile should be a cross between broadcast and print

-- tighter and punchier than print-- more literate and detailed than broadcast writing

Page 49: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Put the power at the end.This is a broadcast tip. It’s also magical for print.

Page 50: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Put the power at the end.This is a broadcast tip. It’s also magical for print.

Powerful stories have powerful sentences.

Page 51: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Put the power at the end.This is a broadcast tip. It’s also magical for print.

Powerful stories have powerful sentences.

Identify the most important or surprising part of every sentence and order the information accordingly.

Page 52: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club
Page 53: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

SEOSearch engine optimization

Page 54: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Write searchable headlines.

Page 55: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club
Page 56: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Write searchable headlines.Punny headlines need context.

Your head will likely be read on a mobile phone, too.

Your audience is global.

Page 57: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Does this work for digital?

Page 58: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club
Page 59: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club
Page 60: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club
Page 61: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Does this work?

Page 62: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Write searchable headlines.Most people don’t go to your homepage tofind what they want to read, they use RSS feeds, etc.

Page 63: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Write searchable headlines.Most people don’t go to your homepage tofind what they want to read, they use RSS feeds, etc.

Be realistic about what people will search for.

Page 64: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Write searchable headlines.Most people don’t go to your homepage tofind what they want to read, they use RSS feeds, etc.

Be realistic about what people will search for.

Use unique, proper nouns: places, people, things.

Page 65: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Write searchable headlines.The first one to four words are the most important.

Page 66: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Write searchable headlines.The first one to four words are the most important.

Be clear and concise. You have just a few seconds.

Page 67: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Be straight forward.When people click on something that’s not worth it, they lose trust in you as a source and are less likely to come back and click on things in the future.

Page 68: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Write the invisible text.About 10 percent of text is read only by machines.

It’s called metadata, and it’s incredibly important.

Page 69: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Write the invisible text.Use the words that your audience will look for most.

Use free keyword help services like Google.

https://adwords.google.com/o/Targeting/Explorer?__c=1000000000&__u=1000000000&ideaRequestType=KEYWORD_IDEAS

Page 70: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Here’s what you need to write for most pages:

Page 71: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club
Page 72: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club
Page 73: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Don’t fear the link.Linking back to your own workis crucial to SEO.

Page 74: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Don’t fear the link.Studies suggest that links to supporting informationimprove the credibility of your content.

People go to sites that do a good job of compilingclick-worthy links.

Page 75: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

• Connect your audience with everything you have published previously about a topic

Friday, January 27, 2012

Page 76: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

• Connect your audience with everything you have published previously about a topic

Friday, January 27, 2012

Page 77: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

• Connect your audience with everything you have published previously about a topic

Friday, January 27, 2012

Page 78: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

• Connect your audience with everything you have published previously about a topic

Friday, January 27, 2012

Page 79: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

• Connect your audience with everything you have published previously about a topic

Friday, January 27, 2012

Page 80: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Don’t fear the link.Don’t worry about writing: “for more information, here’s a link.” The visual cue will be enough.

Remember Fitz’s Law.

Page 81: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Help people skim and dive.Boldfaced or highlighted words grab the eye.

Page 82: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Help people skim and dive.Highlight about three times as many words online as you would in a print article.

Bullets and lists draw attention to important points.

Use subheads to keep people reading.

Page 83: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Make the most of conversation.

Page 84: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Make the most of conversation.When people make it to the end of your story,give them someplace relevant to go.

Don’t make them scroll all the way back to the top.Let them respond.

Page 85: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Talk about a story.

Share a story.

Recommend a story.

Page 86: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Give readers a way to

participate.

Page 87: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Take care of your baby.Update your stories with new developments, links,supporting data.

When it comes to the digital world,your work is a living thing.

Page 88: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

“Always get the name of the dog.”

Advice from Roy Peter Clark,Poynter vice president and senior scholar:

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Page 89: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Dig for theconcrete and specific, details that appeal to the senses.

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Page 90: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

“I remember a police story in the St. Pete Times.

It was an oppressively hot, humid Florida day, and things

started to go badly for a family who lived in town.

“First the air-conditioner broke down, making it

unbearably sticky for the husband, wife, and mother-in-law.

The mother-in-law’s irritation increased when the TV went

on the blink.”

(The reporter didn’t tell me, but I wanted to know what she was

watching at the time. Was it Jeopardyor Wheel of Fortune or The

Dating Gameor One Life to Live?)

The old woman complained to her son-in-law that the television was

not working. So the son-in-law did what any Florida man would do

under such circumstances: He shot out the screen of the television

set with a handgun. What followed was a stand-off with police and

his eventual surrender.

The reporter, Doreen Carvajal, does tell us, bless her, that the man’s

foul mood and subsequent violence were influenced by his imbibing

24 cans of beer that day. Black Label beer. Not Heineken or

Budweiser or Coors. But Black Label.

No wonder he shot out the television.

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Page 91: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

“The reporter didn’t tell me, but I wanted to know …

what was the woman watching at the time? Was it Jeopardy?

Wheel of Fortune? Maybe One Life to Live?

“The older woman complained to her son-in-law that the TV

wasn’t working. So the son-in-law did what any Florida man

would do under such circumstances: He shot out the screen

of the television set with a handgun.”

What followed was a stand-off with police and his eventual

surrender.

The reporter, Doreen Carvajal, does tell us, bless her, that the man’s

foul mood and subsequent violence were influenced by his

imbibing 24 cans of beer that day. Black Label beer. Not Heineken

or Budweiser or Coors. But Black Label.

No wonder he shot out the television.

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Page 92: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

“What followed was a stand-off with police and the man’s

eventual surrender.

“The reporter, does tell us, bless her, that the man’s foul mood

and subsequent violence were influenced by the fact that

he drank 24 cans of beer that day. Black Label beer.

“Not Heineken or Budweiser or Coors. But Black Label.

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Page 93: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

“What followed was a stand-off with police and the man’s

eventual surrender.

“The reporter, does tell us, bless her, that the man’s foul mood

and subsequent violence were influenced by the fact that

he drank 24 cans of beer that day. Black Label beer.

“Not Heineken or Budweiser or Coors. But Black Label.

“No wonder he shot out the television.”

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Page 94: Sara quinn writing_across_platforms_atlanta_press_club

Roy Peter ClarkPoynter Vice President

“Always get the name of the dog.”

(Or, the beer.)

Saturday, March 22, 2014