Nicely Said: Writing for the Web with Style and Purpose

Chapter One. What Writers Do

Despite what you may have seen in the movies, you don’t need a swanky office or a tweed jacket to be a writer. You don’t even need a pair of dark-rimmed glasses (unless you do, of course).

You already communicate with people every day. You’re nice to them. You build relationships with them. You encourage them and help them when they’re confused. You persuade them to do things. You try to say the right thing at the right time. Those are the same skills it takes to be a web writer—and this book shows you how to bring them to the page.

This chapter introduces:

• The practice of web writing and why it matters

• The web writer’s role

• Principles of good content

• How the writing process works

Let’s start by looking at ...