A Guide to Writing for the Web

I've been trying to verbalize (or rather, type out) what exactly I've learned in this course, but it has been surprisingly difficult. I first asked myself, "Did I learn anything at all?" but was quick to realize that I certainly did. Why, then, am I having trouble explaining it? This is a writing class, after all!

But, I think I've finally solved this conundrum. As I stated early on in the semester, the internet has been a major component of my life for many years. I play games, do school work, do "real" work, and talk to friends on the internet, so I couldn't imagine my life without it. And, it just so happens that I naturally developed as a writer online as well. Yes, I've been a roleplayer. Yes, I've written fan fiction. But, most importantly, I've worked online. I've written up announcements, descriptions of game mechanics, help wanted ads, and so on - all on the internet. I've had to learn about how to navigate search engines, effectively integrate hyperlinks, manage font, color, and blank space, and encourage audience interaction for years by this point, and I didn't learn any of this formally.

Yes, this means that I had a pretty solid "base" of skills and knowledge going into this class, but it also means that I had missed a lot of gaps along the way. As I worked, I only learned out of necessity. That learning wasn't intensive, and while it covered a fairly good breadth of knowledge, I was lacking depth. This class, I believe, filled in some of those holes in my knowledge, and encouraged me to explore familiar topics more intensively. It is because of this that I struggle articulating what I've learned: it's hard to explain how various, unrelated "holes" of knowledge were filled.

Because of this, I asked myself what the most provocative moments were for me throughout this semester. It was then that I realized I learned the most by analyzing already existing forms of media: the infographics, podcasts, prezis, and so on. Seeing various types of writing in action helped me conceptualize things better, and often times showed me what not to do with my writing. I did a lot of private reflecting on those pieces that I never shared with the class, so I'd like to share some of that information now. Here is my infographic: a guide to writing for the web.


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