Great tips from B.L. Ochman. My favorites:

"Write like it counts.
"No matter what your audience size, you ought to write as if your readership consisted of paid subscribers whose subscriptions were perpetually about to expire. There's no need to pander. Compel them to re-subscribe." said Dennis Mahoney on A List Apart.

White space is your friend.
It makes reading from the screen easier. Nothing is harder to read than a solid block of copy on

Great tips from B.L. Ochman. My favorites:

"Write like it counts.
"No matter what your audience size, you ought to write as if your readership consisted of paid subscribers whose subscriptions were perpetually about to expire. There's no need to pander. Compel them to re-subscribe." said Dennis Mahoney on A List Apart.

White space is your friend.
It makes reading from the screen easier. Nothing is harder to read than a solid block of copy on a computer screen."

Related post: Are you writing for the Web when you blog?

I read it in the WSJ and have also read comments about the column in several other blogs. Thanks to London-based Adriana Cronin-Lukas for one pointer. Peggy Noonan's cogent essay on MSM (mainstream media) vs. the blogosphere (Feb. 17, 2005 Wall Street Journal) should be required reading. Her key points:

• The blogosphere isn't really the wild, untamed West. Bloggers are using the time-honored tools of journalism (computer, keyboard, willingness

I read it in the WSJ and have also read comments about the column in several other blogs. Thanks to London-based Adriana Cronin-Lukas for one pointer. Peggy Noonan's cogent essay on MSM (mainstream media) vs. the blogosphere (Feb. 17, 2005 Wall Street Journal) should be required reading. Her key points:

• The blogosphere isn't really the wild, untamed West. Bloggers are using the time-honored tools of journalism (computer, keyboard, willingness and desire to ask tough questions).
• Bloggers don't have editors. So they can decide what's a story, how long it's a story and how they want to cover it. (She doesn't say this, but... some bloggers could sure use a good editor when it comes to syntax, style, grammar, etc.)
• Bloggers can post immediately. No constraints due to institutionally-mandated deadlines.
• Bloggers are often "selling an original insight, a new area of inquiry" (her words).
• They're doing it free...
• BUT…

Surprisingly, the answer is yes. I've been thinking about this recently as I write this blog and also post to www.debbieweil.com. Writing for the Web means writing for scanners. Best practices are to use:

• sub-heads
• bullets
• short paragraphs
• a graphic if appropriate

Chunk your content
In short, chunking and packaging your words makes them easier and more appealing to read. It also gives you an excuse to write less. And "shorter" seems less

Surprisingly, the answer is yes. I've been thinking about this recently as I write this blog and also post to www.debbieweil.com. Writing for the Web means writing for scanners. Best practices are to use:

• sub-heads
• bullets
• short paragraphs
• a graphic if appropriate

Chunk your content
In short, chunking and packaging your words makes them easier and more appealing to read. It also gives you an excuse to write less. And "shorter" seems less intimidating when you've got 100 other things to do besides adding witty repartee (ha!) to your blog. Don't you agree??

Web writing resource
One of my favorite resources for Web and email writing is E-WRITE, a nifty training and consulting company based here in Washington D.C. Check out the tools and resources on their site including their EQ (E-mail Quotient) Challenge.

Steven Streight is writing a book, Secrets of the Blogging Pros, that includes input from well-known bloggers. As he put it in his original email to me, he wants to include pointers from "innovators, CEOs, VPs, marketing gurus, political pundits, tech geniuses, manufacturers, writers, artists, computer gamers, PR firms, book publishers, satirists, entrepreneurs, etc." I am flattered he asked me to participate! He's already gotten feedback from

Steven Streight is writing a book, Secrets of the Blogging Pros, that includes input from well-known bloggers. As he put it in his original email to me, he wants to include pointers from "innovators, CEOs, VPs, marketing gurus, political pundits, tech geniuses, manufacturers, writers, artists, computer gamers, PR firms, book publishers, satirists, entrepreneurs, etc." I am flattered he asked me to participate! He's already gotten feedback from a list that includes: Cory Doctorow (Boing Boing), Laura Ries, Mark Cuban, Richard Edelman, Dave Taylor, John Moore, Steve Rubel and many others.

Needless to say, I procrastinated for almost two weeks before responding to his two simple questions: 1.) Why did you start your blog? and 2.) What makes a blog successful? Here are my answers (they address the issue of procrastination)...

(1.) Why did you decide to start…