Technical writing is no longer just about writing manuals. Technical writers are now using mobile, blogs, Twitter and other social media to reach out to their customers. While the basic principles of technical and web writing are the same, writers need to develop a distinctive voice as they create content for the digital world.

1. Beyond the Manual: Writing for
Web, Mobile, and Social Media
Ellen Buttolph
STC Mid-Atlantic Conference
March 2013
Follow me on Twitter: @ebuttolph

2. It’s Not Just About the Manual

3. 1. Know Your Users
• Why are they visiting your website?
• Why are they reading your blog, your Tweets
or your Facebook postings?
• What are their needs?
• How can you learn more about them?

4. Read

5. Listen

6. Interview

7. User Personas
“Personas are fictional
characters created to represent
the different user types within
a targeted demographic,
attitude and/or behavior set
that might use a site, brand or
product in a similar way.”
Wikipedia.com
http://stcbok.editme.com/PersonaMarciaHouston

8. 2. Start a Conversation
“Good web writing is like a conversation.”
Ginny Redish
Letting Go of the Words

9. Direct Conversation
What is…? What does it …?
Can I…?

10. Implied Conversation
• Did you know?

11. Write Good Conversation
• Take turns with headings.
• Use pronouns like you, us, we.
• Use action verbs.
• Write visually with white space and lists.

12. 3. Show Your Personality
Stop writing boring corporate content.

13. Voice and Tone
• Voice expresses your site’s personality.
• Tone reflects the feelings or mood of the
voice.
• Voice is consistent, while tone can change.

14. MailChimp Style Guide: http://voiceandtone.com

15. Define Your Voice
• Ask key questions:
• Who visits your site?
• Why do they visit?
• How do you want them to feel?
• Create a list of personality traits.
• Write sample text.

16. 4. Tell a Story

17. Tell a Story
• Stories engage other people.
• Stories create empathy.
• People remember stories.

18. 5. Write Clearly and Concisely
Make your content easy to understand.

19. Use Plain Language

20. Make It Easy to Scan
• Put important information first.
• Write useful headings.
• Use white space.
• Use bullet lists.

21. Keep It Short
• Write short sentences, 10 to 20 words.
• Keep paragraphs short, less than 100 words.
• Cut unnecessary words.
• Use short, common words

22. Use Active Voice
• Active voice makes it clear who is doing what.
• Put the action in verbs, not nouns.

23. Keep it Simple

24. Stop Crafting Perfect Sentences
It’s about sharing information.

25. What You Can Do Now
• Join the conversation.
• Start a discussion.
• Write a blog.
• Create mobile user assistance.
• Keep writing.

26. Resources
• Letting Go of the Words: Writing Web Content that Works, Janice (Ginny)
Redish
• Storytelling for User Experience: Crafting Stories for Better Design, Whitney
Quesenbery and Kevin Brooks
• The Yahoo Style Guide, Chris Barr and the Senior Editors of Yahoo
• Conversation and Community: The Social Web for Documentation,
Anne Gentle
• VoiceandTone.com, MailChimp Style Guide
• CenterforPlainLanguage.org
• PlainLanguage.gov