Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Write me a web page Elsie


This is the cover of Rachel McAlpine's book Write me a web page, Elsie.  Photo from the publisher.   We at the New Zealand School of Export think this is a really useful guide to writing on the web.   We have used it to re-vamp some of our pages on the School's website http://www.export.ac.nz/   I have been guilty of some of the worst of faults - using generic photos - well almost!  McAlpine says that eye-tracking research shows that most people ignore the pictures.   I am now trying to use images which fit really closely with the text and add to what it is saying!   She also recommends captions - sounds very simple.  That is the essence of this book - she gives down to earth advice in a style which makes you want to change!
If I have any gripe about the book, it is that the index doesn't cover everything in the book e.g. ACHOs and AFFLOs.  That aside I can thoroughly recommend it.
By the way, Rachel McAlpine is a dramatist, poet and novelist besides writing books on writing.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I did a short course on writing for the web with Rachel a few years back - it was hugely informative!