Paper VS Digital Writing

The two crucial ways writing for digital platforms differ from writing on paper are the web allows me to communicate quickly in selective great amounts of updated information in seconds while being shown in color at a significant low cost. The immediacy of the web means material can be added to, updated, deleted and refreshed daily, hourly, weekly which compares to months and years that are required to publish a book. Because of the internet, audiences have grown to be accustomed to multiple options in media like photos, videos, pictures, moves, games, music etc. We can surf through web sites looking for information more quickly then you can by going to the library looking through books trying to find information that we would need. The web also lets me receive breaking news, immediate stories in real time whereas in print it has already occurred and that makes it old information.

For print, it’s more costly depending on the amount that’s being published. “Selective” implies interactivity. Publishers determine what to read and what in order, which places a premium on navigation. Finally color is a major factor because it costs no more than black and white, an advantage print publishers do not have.

This online class remind me of when I had taken Newspaper production class at GC&SU. We were taught to always site sources and make sure that the information we publish is accurate and not sensationalized.

The book “writing for the digital media” by Brian Carroll give good examples and concepts on the correct way to publish a story for an audience to engage in. An important asset for writing and publishing a story would be “credibility” In “writing for the digital media” the book says “increasing numbers of Americans are accessing the web for information, and studies examining Web credibility show that the more people go online, the more credible they evaluate the information they find there.

Some of the best practices for composing a story on Medium are having all your content available and ready, have all notes, video, clips at hand. Put some love into your user profile, have nice picture so your audience will know who you are. Make your profile attractive and make it stand out so that it’s not mediocre. Also have multiple social media sites so you are able to expand your network as well.