Print Article for : Writing For New Media

[W1072]Writing For New Media

by Robert Starr, Rob

Someone once said that the invention of the Internet was the most innovative thing that has happened to the professional writer since the creation of moveable type. There's no doubt that after a shaky start a decade ago, web content is here to stay as a juggernaut that twists and turns as it evolves through the exorbitant professional writer rates that were charged and the cheap overseas copy that was found in the end to actually turn business away. Like any other transformation, the writer who makes his/her living from the web needs to shed some of their old beliefs and attitudes to keep up in this new world.

Statistics show that the average office worker spends about thirty hours a week looking at a computer screen. And although computers have made it easier to share and pass along information, reading from a monitor has proven itself so far to be less effective than paper. Because of the slight flicker that's present with monitors and the fact the resolution is a little harder on the eye, the experts have been able to ascertain that reading from a screen is 25% slower than paper.

So this means that the professional writer will have a different set of criteria they need to address when they're writing for the Internet; because they're up against a medium where people find it more laborious to read off their monitors and they tire out more quickly, the adaptable writer comes to the conclusion that they must somehow adapt their style to this new wave of progress. At least one of the ways to do that is by shoring up on the tenets of good old fashion journalism and cut the fat from everything you write.

Get to the point. Be brief and concise. These have always been the trademarks of anything that's well written anywhere, but these adages take on an added urgency when you're dealing with a standard where the professional writer will have on average nine seconds to hook someone's attention before they click away. While every word always counted back in the days where all our information came on paper, the amount of avenues that allow readers to get the same input different ways has increased exponentially with the Internet forcing writers of all kinds to sharpen their skills.

However, while writing for the Internet should be anything but bland, there is an apparent lack of tolerance for self-indulgence present at the same time. The best content seems to follow the rules of all good writing and be factual, clear and lean.

For fans who love the work of Jeff Marx and couldn't wait to get their hands on Avenue Q tickets the minute they went on sale, there may be another show on stage bearing his name in the near future. He will be teaming up with Marco Pennette to create a new musical as well as a television project. The television project is The Romeos and Marx will be writing music for the show. The show is written by Pennette, Steve Cohen and Brad Meltzer. The musical will be a musical version of the classic cartoon The Flintstones. This time, there are much more pertinent issues that the cast is dealing with from infertility to marital problems and “global cooling.” Gary Griffin of The Color Purple is already set to be the musical's director.

It is tough to believe that the multiple Tony Award-winning show is Marx's first try at Broadway, but in fact it is. He and co-writer Robert Lopez had written one other show before about the Muppets and decided to try their hand at their own puppet show. The result was a musical with puppets that are hardly singing about subject appropriate for youngsters. Marx got his degree in law before turning his attention toward musical writing. He has also turned his attention toward television by writing for the musical episode of Scrubs as well as for the show Rick & Steve the Happiest Gay Couple in All the World. He has also written a book called How to Win a High School Election, which has sold more than 15,000 copies.

Most of Pennette's career has been spent both as a writer and producer for television. He has produced television shows like Caroline in the City, What I like About You, Crumbs, Ugly Betty and Samantha Who? He was a writer for many of those shows on top of producing as well as shows like Dear John, Dave's World, Conrad Bloom and All About the Andersons. The show Crumbs has many themes based on Pennette's own dysfunctional family. Pennette is negotiating to be the book writer for The Flintstones. Along with Marx, the score will also be written by Jake Anthony.

If the success of Avenue Q is any indication of the direction of the rest of Marx's projects, fans surely have a lot to look forward to. Avenue Q is about a young man named Princeton who has just graduated from college and moves to New York City. The only place he can afford to live is Avenue Q and the colorful tenants there provide a support system for each other as they try to navigate through life and love. Along the way, they deal with everything from joblessness to homosexuality to internet porn. The show has been a surprise smash hit on Broadway, bringing in audiences who are not normally drawn to musicals. The show has since gone on to be performed in many other cities around the U.S. Check out the locations of the productions at http://www.stubhub.com/avenue-q-tickets.

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Both Robert Starr & Julie Cudney are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Robert Starr has sinced written about articles on various topics from Site promotion, Business Intelligence and Writing. Robert Starr is a professional writer/editor with several published books and a degree in journalism. He's brought 20 years of experience in the craft to his own online writing/editing service. You can reach him at. Robert Starr's top article generates over 3600 views. to your Favourites.

Julie Cudney has sinced written about articles on various topics from Entertainment Guide, Keyboard Synthesizer and Entertainment Guide. This article was written by Julie Cudney and is sponsored by . StubHub sells tickets to sporting events, concerts and theater productions. Go to StubHub.com for. Julie Cudney's top article generates over 165000 views. to your Favourites.