Writing in the Genres of the Web

Do you have a blog? Do you contribute to a fan wiki about your favorite TV show, movie, or book series? Do you tweet? If you do, you may be thinking I don’t need no stinkin’ style manual.

But wait!!!!!

Maybe, just maybe, you will find some advice about improving your blog or managing your wiki useful.

And if the above paragraph is Greek to you, you will find an introduction to some of the genres of the web helpful.

The web is not a blank piece of (virtual) paper waiting to be filled with content! It is a network of communities, each of which has its own expectations, its own values, and its own strategies for success. In this first section, we examine some of these communities and their preferred genres.

In addition, because the web is a big community in itself, you should also be thinking about how you can promote your writing in the greater community of the web. To help you, we have included sections on using Reddit, Digg, Facebook, and RSS feeds to promote your writing and manage your reading.