How to Write Effectively - Ideas on Good Writing Techniques for Small Catholic Web Sites

Introduction

If you have been following the Web Development Methods in this site, you can focus how to employ good writing techniques for your small Catholic web site and/or blog. Unlike other media for writers, writing on the Web has an advantage for Catholics because they can study and practice three important things: theology, technology, and techniques in writing. It is the last element that has the potential to contribute to the advancement of both the Church (for a theology in the use of media) and the Internet (for a good direction in technological innovation). You need not have an advanced theological background, or a high level of technical expertise, to continue working for the cause of peace in the Internet and for encouraging others to also build good Catholic web sites and blogs. Rather, it is simply learning the basics of both very well, that can help you build a highly effective Catholic web site using writing techniqes to promote the Catholic faith online.

Ideas for more effective writing on the Web

Writing effectively for a specific audience

Writing effectively on a specific subject

From easy to the more difficult

Continuously improving your writing skills

Presenting your writing thoroughly

Quoting from well-established sources

Always updating your content distribution channels

Continually optimizing the writing on your site

Writing effectively for a specific audience

It needs some actual immersion on the Web to know what specific words or terms are being used by a sector of the reader audience you want to address in the Internet. Once you have selected the specific profile of your reader audience, then you will know and learn how to consistently write to this audience. As an example, this site selects a reader audience with the following profile characteristics:

• conservative and intelligent
• seasoned Catholics
• age range from late thirties to senior age
• English language-literate
• familiar with the classics of the Catholic faith
• above-average computer literacy
• open to new technologies

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Writing effectively on a specific subject

Knowledge of a specific subject is the key to write effectively about it. There are two ways to learn about a specific subject: one is through study, and the other is through listening. The ideal is to have had the opportunity to both study and listen well. This is especially important when you write about specific subjects that relate to family life and/or work. It would be even more important if you integrate the gospel or specific Scripture passages in your writing. Whatever specific subject you need to write about, studying and listening are always the key to learning how to write effectively. The Pope's messages at YouTube is one better way to learn a specific subject you plan to write on. You can search the files at YouTube, listen to a video, take down notes, and remember to acknowledge the source when you write about it.

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From easy to the more difficult

To accomplish this good writing technique, you can begin with a specific subject in mind, translate it into a specific key phrase (for search engine optimization purposes), and then list down all the ideas that you are thinking in relation to the subject. With the list at hand, you can then organize them into topics, beginning with the easiest and then progressing on to the more complex idea. For writing that involves instruction, this would be a boon for the writer as he need not organize the topics, but simply to outline the steps of the instruction (in descriptive and detailed manner) from beginning to end. With writing that has Catholic content, this involves organization of thoughts so that the specific subject is presented in a manner that covers completely all the nuances of meaning that can be brought into the writing. Depending on your preference, you can background your writing from various perspectives: historical, spiritual, cultural, or geographical. The last perspective can produce a highly effective article since you can integrate maps in your writing, and make the page more interactive.

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Continuously improving your writing skills

You can improve your writing by studying and learning how others write on the Web. It takes practice to get the best balance between the use of highly effective words and phrases for your readers' understanding, and also placing your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) key word or key phrase in the right parts of the web page. The latter knowledge is one you can learn more through Google's Help page. As to the style of writing effectively, here are a few classic books that may help:

• Writing Effectively, by Kelsch and Kelsch
• Test Your Grammar and Usage, by Watcyn-Jones
• A New Guide to Better Writing, by Flesch and Lass
• The Elements of Style, by Strunk Jr. and White

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Presenting your writing thoroughly

Though it entails more work, it is nonetheless for the good of your specific reader audience to read your written presentation in a standard and formal manner: complete with title, introduction, paragraph heading titles, concise content, a summary or conclusion, some references used in the writing, and suggested sources for the reader's further study. Presenting your writing in this manner will have greater impact because of its professional but simple format. Anything formally presented usually has greater drawing power from an intelligent reader audience who is intent on learning well. To add solidity to your writing, it is always good to aim for the ideal good form and substantial content.

Thoroughness and completeness need make your writing too long. As long as everything is there, then you will achieve the purpose of helping your reader audience study what they need to know. This is where your writing skill in organizing your topic online will bring your written work to completion and make it very comprehensive.

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Quoting from well-established sources

Quoting from well-established writings and sources can prevent contestable or contentious matter in your writing. This also helps your reader audience keep to the discipline of thinking with the Church, and keep to the discipline of following the ethical standards on the Web. Occasional quotes, references, or links to the classics can strengthen the effectivity of your writing - especially if these sources have a universal or unitive appeal. If you need authoritative sources, then the news site of the Vatican - Vatican Information Service - is a very good source. You can subscribe to this news service by email. The Vatican allows you to quote from this site as long as you refer your readers to where you originally obtained them. A good way to present a quote is to use the italics tag <i> or the <blockquote> tag.

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Always updating your content distribution channels

By now, many of you are aware of how rss feed technology is being relegated to the background. Sites that used to serve readers with this technology such as Newsgator.com and Bloglines.com have already been acquired by others in the Internet. It is good to think ahead, find ways, and plan how you can adjust to whatever new channels of content distribution are forthcoming. Comments on the Internet are saying that Facebook and Twitter might eventually replace the popularity of rss feeds. But as long as browsers still support the presentation of the rss feed, this means that the technology is still with us. What is happening is that the technology's popularity is lessening compared to the popularity of distribution channels provided by the social networks. Since technology is the instrument for conveying the faith, the focus should be more on substantial content rather than the form provided by technology. What can strengthen the defense against new technologies overriding the stability of standard technologies is to remember what Pope Benedict is saying in his 45th World Communications Day Message for June 5, 2011.

"...the truth which we long to share does not derive its worth from its 'popularity' or from the amount of attention it receives..."

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Continually optimizing the writing on your site

An advantage of the Internet over other media is that you can easily edit or update your writing without entailing too much cost. You can easily manage all your writing and improve on them constantly - employing all the effective writing techniques you have learned through study, listening well, and by actual practice and experience in writing on the Web. If ever there are rapid developments online, you can still adapt and adjust all the writing on your site according to any new technologies that will present itself.

A good attitude to have is to always be open to improvement, even if it means site-wide optimization of all your web site's pages - including all content, technology, and all writing techniques. But this must be done carefully, one step at a time, diligently and not to lose courage, faith, patience, and hope. Everything takes time to produce results. With patient endurance, it is possible to attain all things you are working for to make your writing as effective as you can for others on the Web.

As regards Church and the Internet, the following will always keep you up-to-date:

• For technology news
• Techmeme.com
• PCMag.com
• SiteProNews.com

• For web development
• Friendsofed.org
• Accessify.com
• Ajaxpatterns.org
• Onlinetools.org
• Thickbook.com

• For Catholic content
• The Vatican at YouTube
• Vatican Information Service

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Summary

Writing effectively for both the Church and the Internet requires a lot of study, listening well, and the practice and experience of writing itself on the Web. It is a lot of hard work. But it is hard work that gives great comfort. It is a work that refreshes, sharpens your mind, and bring light to your direction. The greatest good anyone can obtain from all these is the wisdom of learning what really matters - especially when everything you have known online till now reaches another turning point again.