Writing and new media:
Getting one’s message out there has never been easier than it is today. We can disseminate information across different platforms with mobile and web being the most powerful, and we can do so in real time. The web demands constant contact and updating from users. Engaging is the key word in media today and it isn’t unusual to see websites across all kinds of markets using social networking sites (namely Twitter and Facebook) along with storage services that include social networking functions (such as YouTube and Flickr).
That said, social entrepreneurs will still use the power of the word with more than 140 characters. Blog entries are a popular way of keeping the public abreast of issues and updates and social entrepreneurs may be writing newsletters, press releases, and articles as well.
How to write effectively for new (and old) media:
Here are two articles that explain the usage of language in old media and new media today and how you can get your point across with less words; these are “must reads” for any social entrepreneur who writes on a regular basis.
Read More:
1. “Writing Good English” by William Zinsser || This was a talk given to incoming international students at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism and it’s relevant to anyone who writes in the English language, irrespective of whether English is your native language or not.
2. “Cut This Story!” by Michael Kinsley || Newspaper articles are too long and this is where new media beats old media.
