Web Writing — Part One, Content and Copy work on the web
Welcome to the first part of a short series on how to write for the web, and how to make your work look as professional as possible.
Content and copy work on the web
I’ve been a content provider and content manager for Fresh Fiction.com, a media website based in Texas, since 2012. I’m also an author who has been publishing through Amazon since 2013, and a final year journalism student.
Copy is what journalists write. They send perhaps 500 words of copy to the copy editor. Editors edit; get used to it. I write in Word. Other text editors are available. Get started by sending copy to a society newsletter.
Copy writing can describe a ghost-writer as well. A sports personality has a regular column on a sports website. They phone and chat to a journalist at the website, who writes up their column.
A content provider might produce recipes and corresponding photos for a cookery site, or content on a sports blog. Content can include interviews, photos, graphic art, gifs, puzzles, fiction, poetry, news coverage, how-to tips, and more. Cookery, gardening and sports will all be seasonal. These days, content may be in the form of a podcast or a short video clip. Or several forms, which is multimedia.
I get e-books to review. These are ARCs or advance review copies, meaning in advance of publication. I was invited to review for Fresh Fiction when I was already reviewing books on Amazon, for my own entertainment. Generally, you have to be doing something before you’ll be asked to do that something. While I don’t get paid for my reviews, I get books, which means I don’t have to spend to read. A reviewer is not allowed to pass on or sell these books.
Find a site which interests you. Accept any work you can reasonably do. Ask what is not being covered. I found that some genres were not getting reviewed. I took them. After a time of being reliable I got my pick of books by top authors. Encourage other writers, and read posts by experienced writers.
Generally, you have to be doing something before you’ll be asked to do that something.
Clean copy is material which is free of spelling, grammar or factual errors. Sites may not want to bother correcting a typo once published, but if there is an error in the spelling of someone’s name, that should be corrected. In general, your post must also be clean language.
Practice by writing on a blog of your own. Your post — fact or fiction — has to have a point. When you have made your point, stop. Get a friend to look over the post and comment.
Images are needed! These days, a blog post needs a top image to get attention. Take your own photos, so as not to run into any copyright issues. Keep them simple, like the examples shown.
Next post: Writing detail.
Clare O’Beara
Originally published at http://insidedbs.wordpress.com on January 9, 2021.
