Different Styles of Writing

Writing on the Web and writing on paper have both similar and contrasting features. In both of these forms of writing, brevity is important, especially in the business world. In today's busy world, it is necessary for writing to be concise. Writers must say everything they need to say as succinctly as possible. This is true for all business writing, whether on paper or on the Web. It is also important in all forms of writing for the writer to determine a purpose and audience. This helps focus the writer so that it will be concise and appropriate for whoever will read the writing. One contrast between Web writing and paper writing is that paper writing is generally more formal than Web writing. For example, it is acceptable for me to be somewhat more informal on this blog entry than it would be if I was writing a class paper on the same topic. If I was transferring a piece of writing from paper to the Web, I would want to make sure it was concise and make sure I cited the source from which I retrieved it. I would also want to make sure it was in PDF format (like Angie suggested for our portfolios) so that the document could not be modified or changed.