Online Writing Rules Grandma Taught You

There has been a lot of chatter on the Web in the last year about corporate policies on social media. The mantra? Good manners.

The same things that the likes of Ford Motor Co. and Dell have addressed in their policies carry over to the private Twitter addict: Follow the rules Grandma taught you. Hopefully, you don't misbehave at the grocery store and argue with fellow shoppers about who gets the choice head of lettuce. So why do we feel compelled to behave rudely when we're online?

Some online rules to live by:

1) Ask permission or cite the source when you post a graphic, text or other form of communication. Many sites don't mind if you lift, as long as you say where you got it from, but check.
2) Whether you get a comment on your Facebook wall or on your blog, count to 10 before getting snarky. Imagine you are looking them in the eye. How would you orally negotiate through a rough patch? Write the way you would speak (as always). Humor is ok, but think it through before you type.
3) Be honest. If you don't know, say so. If you have something constructive to share, write it.
4) Avoid off-color remarks. Not only will you get banned from many websites, you can get unfriended. And we don't want that, do we?
5) Finally, think it through one more time before you hit the send button. Remember, your content will linger on the Web for years to come. You don't want to cringe when you Google yourself, yes?

Social media guru Todd Defren has some excellent tips on his PR Squared resources site. Check it out.

Tips On Writing Good Titles For Your Blog

Titles are as important as the text, maybe more so. They compel the reader to continue and promise what is to come. Here are four rules.
1) As in good writing of text, choose an active voice. Like: "Cows and the Men Who Love Them."
2) However, most of us aren't adept at writing the snappy, compelling title. Consider titles with one of the five "Ws." Like: "What you need before bathing your dog," or, "How to blow dry your dog."
3) Choose the style of your titles. For example, decide if you want to capitalize the beginnings of all words, only words over three letters or only the first word. Do you want to end the titles with punctuation? I only use punctuation for questions and when there are two clauses. Consistency makes for a cleaner page.
4) Keep the titles as short as possible. If you can't, your post's topic may be too broad. Keep titles to one deck, or one line.

Blogging Ad Infinitum. Just Say No.

You have a blog subject. Now you need to start writing. Consider these rules before filing your first post.
1) Bring your reader value by educating and illuminating. If you write opinions, make sure they are well-informed. If you write fact-based posts, do your homework first.
2) For each post, choose a subset of a topic, rather than offering a broad-stroke piece. Address in bite-size chunks how to paint your dining room: choosing colors (one post), figuring out how much paint you'll need (second post), masking (third post), and so on.
3) No. 2 will help you keep the copy tight. With few exceptions, keep your posts to the top of the screen. If the reader has to scroll, they probably won't. If you must file a longer post, break up with graphics and subheadlines.
4) Think about ways to make lists. People love top five ways to brush your dog, particularly in a blog -- rather than words, words, words, as Beavis and Butt-Head say.

Blogging What You Know, Not What You Think

Remember the last-night's-dinner blogs of 2000? Yeah. I didn't read them either. Most of us have figured out that "dinner" blogs don't bring hits. But you have a burning desire to tell the world your tale. Where to start?

First, you need a topic. Here are some simple rules:

1) As in all good writing, write what you know. If you've never been exposed to Islam, why in the world are you talking about it? You must be able to speak authoritatively.
2) Search your topic on Google. Check out other blogs and websites on the same issue, and make sure you can offer something unique and of value.
3) Pick a subject that has a life of its own. You want something that will bring you gobs of ideas. Painting a house offers limited subject matter. Do-it-yourself renovation will generate multiple topics.
4) If you don't want to attach your name to your topic, then don't write about it. People are more trusting of a blogger who proudly states who she is.
5) Identify why you deserve to be trusted with the subject matter, whether it ties into your profession or it is a lifelong hobby.

Better Living Through Semicolons

OK, this is a keeper. I was ready to go on and on about semicolons, but someone else has already done it. This is a must read. A colleague of mine, Ben Sledge, turned me on to this website.

Oh, if you're a prude, or humor is against your religion, just don't go there.

Put That Comma Where Your Mouth Is

It seems like a tiny thing, but double commas can change the meaning of a phrase, or even a sentence.

Double commas replace: "which is" or "who is."

Examples:

"The United States' president, Barack Obama, loves walks in the park and hitchhiking," is correct. He is the only one, therefore, there should be commas.

"John's cat Missy went for a walk." This means John has more than one cat.

"Austin, Texas, is a great place to work." This is a big one. Provinces, states, etc., call for double commas.

Commas aren't just preference. They are punctuation, and even grammar, it can be argued. They can be used for emphasis. They are wonderful tools when in the right hands.

Stop Those Anonymous Web Posts. Now.

When you send your snarky comments to online feedback databases, they can be anonymous. And that's why the posts are usually snarky. They can't be traced back to you.

Writing online is like writing any time. Would you send an anonymous letter to your kid's math teacher? OK, maybe you would, but it's pretty much a guarantee it won't be taken seriously.

Whether you are writing on a blog or creating web content, say who you are. It lends credibility to your words. People are more likely to take your comments to heart. If you have a webpage about Jane Austen, offer your credentials. Are you a PhD? An avid fan? Talk a little about why people should believe you.

In the same way, your blog should tell people who you are and why they should care about what you have to say.

Remember, when you are looking up narwhals for the kids, do you take seriously posts with no name attached? I think not.

Keep Instant Messaging in Its Place

When we IM, we abbreviate and use lowercase. And that's fine for that venue. But watch out for these habits when you write an email. People expect a more formal tone when they receive an email, particularly when it is a professional note.

Also, it is good manners to write a salutation and closing. You can offend if you are too informal. Email today is a replacement for the letter on paper. So, respect the reader and give her the courtesy of a greet and meet.

Finally, in today's online world, it is necessary to have a tag at the end. It doesn't have to be fancy, but it needs to say your name and contact information. But your tag should not be your closing. Always, always, write your handle or name at the end of the message. Mine is LM, for example.

One more thing: All of the rules of grammar apply in an email. Make sure you know the difference between its and it's; make sure you understand the use of commas and colons.

Picking Your Battles

Whether you are a freelancer interviewing a source or taking notes for your association's meetings, there is one rule you should never forget: Don't write everything.

You'll just frustrate yourself and you won't get the essence of the interview/meeting. Relax and listen to the conversation. And ask questions at the moment. If you don't understand or you think there is a missing piece to what the person is saying, it's best to get clarification right away. Otherwise, you will probably forget to ask.

It helps to have your own shorthand system. "Y" for you. "y're" for You're. "r.e." for real estate. Think of shorthand for the topics that will be addressed. If you are taking minutes, and the treasurer's report comes up, how about the dollar sign? Or "T. rpt."

It takes time to develop your ear. But after the first couple of meetings or interviews with this technique, it will come more naturally.

It's happy to have its tail.

A coworker asked me the other day about the difference between "its" and "it's." He was stuck and he needed a knock on the noggin to remember. Here is what I told him:

It's is a contraction. It means: "It is."

Its is a possessive, which is why these words throw us, right? Possessives generally have an apostrophe. John's cat. The boys' lunches. The children's playground.

Remember this: The cat played with its tail. It's happy to have its tail.

A Quick Comma Rule

Commas don't have to be painful. While you don't want to overwhelm your writing with them, they are a necessity.

Here is an important general rule. If you begin your sentence with "if," "of," "while" or the five "Ws," you'll need a comma before the second clause:

"If I write 'Kyrgyzstan' one more time, I think I'll implode."

"When I logged onto Facebook, I discovered my brother-in-law from Jordan waiting for me."

"Of all the gin joints in the world, you had to walk into this one."

And as always, if you aren't sure, read it out loud.