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Write of Passage: Content Careers in the Digital Age By Janice L. Weiers These days, the job title "writer" sounds surprisingly generic. Instead, many writers now tout titles such as: content strategist, content development consultant, and content provider. That is, if they've made the leap to writing content for the Web. How did they find themselves in the middle of the Internet revolution and what's the password for entry? Gaining entrance to the Internet industry is not quite as simple as knowing a secret knock or saying "Abracadabra," but it's not as difficult as getting a master's in information science, either. Because the digital age is still young, there aren't many writers who can boast of having years of experience in the field. Those writing content for the Web may have bridged over from careers in advertising, print journalism, marketing or a host of other industries. There is no standard background to be found on the résumés of content providers. So, people are making the move ... But do they have what it takes? Is it likely that an experienced print journalist can be plucked from the local paper one day and successfully write for the Web the next? "To some degree, yes," says Kate Kinsella, a content strategist for the Chicago branch of iXL, an Internet developing and consulting firm with locations worldwide. Most of the writers she works with on a daily basis came from print journalism, broadcasting, or other mediums. Judith Cooper, who has been freelancing in Chicago for 16 years, moved from programming to writing. Because of her background, she wasn't intimidated by technical material, and now writes for both print and the Internet. "It honestly was a natural progression," she says. "I have worked with a lot of technical material, so I feel very comfortable working in the Internet environment." Not a through street Though Kinsella has seen successful transitions from print writing to providing Internet content, she is skeptical to say that it's a two-way street for all writers. "For someone who wants to make the switch, it's important to understand and embrace the Internet as a distinct medium," says Kinsella. "One needs to recognize all the possibilities that the Internet opens up." And while certain backgrounds facilitate the transition to writing for the Web, there's a lot of uncharted territory to navigate. The Internet is unlike any other medium the world has ever seen. It's a swirling galaxy of information and advertising and everything in between. So intertwined are the possibilities, that the separation of each variable is next to impossible to pinpoint. Make your own footprints Because the interactive medium continues to change and evolve, there aren't as many guidelines that content providers must follow. Some writers readily adapt to the boundless world of Internet writing, but others may long to have a How-To reference book in hand. Unfortunately for the second group, the Internet doesn't offer Strunk & White's safety net. "Writing for print comes with pre-established rules and regulations for everything from the length certain documents should be to the appropriate type of salutations," says Kevin Williams, a Chicago-based freelance writer who has written for both print and the Web. For some writers, he says, this is comforting; for others, confining. "More so than with printed text, writing for the Web is a conversation between the architects of a site and the viewer." Williams explains that this is because it's easier for viewers to e-mail feedback—and do it immediately—than for readers to write to an editor. He adds, "The writing is less formal, too; more conversational." There are seminars designed to educate and inform technology specialists about techniques and tips for Web writing, but the freedom that comes with the Internet being a new medium has remained fairly intact. "I don't see the Web writing industry becoming standardized," says Williams. "Writers are being encouraged to express themselves in an individual way. I don't see that changing." Because of the interactive quality of the Internet, the individual voice of the writer needs to be more audible. The effect a Web site has on a viewer relies heavily on how it's written and how often the information changes. Nobody wants to have the same conversation with someone every day. "A Web site cannot be static, like a magazine is," says Kathryn Taylor, president of CopyDesk, Inc., an outsourcing and placement agency for professional writers. "It needs to change frequently. A Web site is based in space and needs to be just as fluid." As Williams says, the content is a conversation with a viewer. If they don't enjoy the conversation, click, the conversation is over. And instead of flipping to another article within a magazine, chances are visitors will leave the Web site entirely, and go to another. Target practice Beyond the obvious visual consequences, most print material doesn't transcend to the Web because of its vertical structure: the information is read in the same order each time, from top to bottom. However, the architecture of a Web site is horizontal: The information is spread over parallel pages and can be read in any order and still make sense. Because of this horizontal nature, writing for the Web requires specific strengths and capabilities within a writer's bag of tricks—techniques that may not be as acceptable in other media. "On the Web, humor is more highly valued," says Cooper, adding that companies are now looking for writers with "pizzazz and a cutting-edge mentality." "I repeat information much more in Web writing," says Heckler. "If there's a point above all others that needs to be made, a writer will want to weave it through each page." This is a particularly good idea, since the point of entry can differ from viewer to viewer. And since many Web surfers don't have a long attention span, it's a good idea to lead a page with the information someone is likely to want. Suspense kills a Web site's goals. "Put the conclusion in the first paragraph," says Kinsella. "As people look for more detail, they can dig deeper." To facilitate digging and keep the content for each page to a minimum, create links for viewers to follow to supplement information given on the page. Printing and gathering For a professional writer, a résumé without a portfolio of clips is comparable to your mother writing a note that says you are talented. Clips are essential for a writer; they are a testament to talent. For Web writers, time is of an essence to gather samples of their work. They don't have archives to fall back on. "Because sites change constantly and often are written by more than one writer, writers who are submitting samples of their work should not submit merely a list of URLs of sites on which they've worked," says Taylor. "They need to print out the pages of the sites they have written," she advises. Internet copy changes constantly and writers are often unaware that their work has been taken off the site until it's too late. "Hello.. Mom?" (Used with the permission of Digital Chicago's Career Network ) 
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