2012-05-08T13:20:07-05:00 GCI info@gospel.com /feeds/topics/style/ http://internetevangelismday.com/blog/archives/8062 2012-05-08T13:20:07-05:00 All colors are not the same! Use colors that match your message. This is second nature to graphic designers, but not necessarily for the rest of us. And in some cultures, colors may have a special significance, often religious, that we are unaware of. http://internetevangelismday.com/readersdigest.php 2010-08-08T06:08:27-05:00 The enormous popularity of Reader's Digest over 80 years suggests that they have learned something in communication techniques! The magazine therefore offers approaches that we can use in writing for the web: * It aims at the reading level of a 13-year-old, yet does not talk down to adults. * It uses many true real-life stories about people. “People are interested in people.” * These stories are told in a dramatic way, usually with a key element of the person's story as a lead-in. * Stories use plenty of quoted speech: “He said... She called back...” etc. * It addresses practical problems and worries, and offers ideas to help readers improve their quality of life. In other words, it addresses felt needs which is a key strategy in evangelism. * Humor is mixed with serious articles. http://internetevangelismday.com/writing.php 2010-08-08T05:55:40-05:00 Writing for the Web requires the style and gifts of the journalist, not the preacher. The Press has had more than 200 years to learn how to communicate effectively in print. Learn from them. Read books on journalistic writing. Observe the way newspapers and magazines tell stories. They know the rules for clear communication and keeping a reader’s interest. “These skills pertain equally to the Web. We need to grab attention fast!” says journalistic writing expert Marshall Cook. If you are a preacher or an evangelist, sorry – you have some unlearning to do. Your gifts do not transfer directly to the Web! http://internetevangelismday.com/style.php?id=books 2010-08-07T16:33:53-05:00 This house-style guide was produced by a UK Christian printing ministry for writers of books and magazines and is used by permission. It also aims to be international in scope. The BBC offers a detailed style guide for Journalistic Writing in PDF format. Although some applies specifically to writing for radio, there is the same need for clarity and brevity as on the Web. http://internetevangelismday.com/bookreviews/net-words-creating-high-impact-online-copy.php 2010-08-07T16:31:47-05:00 We have a lot to learn from the people who make a living by communicating on the Web in e-commerce. Not, of course, that Christian writing should become glib sales patter. However, Usborne’s book is not merely about sales techniques. It reveals much about the nature of the Web and the expectations of web users, and how it differs from other mediums. http://internetevangelismday.com/blog/archives/2069 2010-08-04T17:59:57-05:00 The Beginner’s Guide to Search Engine Optimization is a free download about a vital subject. Many Christian sites receive only a fraction of the visits they deserve because simple optimization techniques have not been applied to them.