Josh Benton of Harvard’s Neiman Journalism Lab defined clickbait as "Noun: Things I don't like on the Internet.”
There is little to like about clickbait. Clickbait is a headline that generates a momentary rush of excitement that culminates in a rapid letdown. It is a corruption of information, a "bait and switch" tactic that leads to the Internet's most insipid websites and faux blogs filled with picture galleries accompanied by short, vapid blurbs of text.
I marvel at the language skills of those who live outside of native English-speaking countries. Several friends speak two or more languages. I find that phenomenal. Although I have studied French and Spanish, I am far from conversant in either language. English is my one and only and sometimes I've wondered about that..
The other day I suggested some ways to create writing prompts. This list will suggest ways to expand them into the story you want to tell.
These writing prompts will trip your trigger, light your fire, or push your on-button.
I’ve looked at dozens, maybe hundreds of writing prompts. The problem with them is they all start with a single sentence. When writer’s block ices up your driveway, you need a bigger bulldozer to dislodge it.
Citing your sources helps you earn credibility. Whether you write non-fiction for online visitors or offline readers, proper citing of sources is critical.
Observe your world. Look at the old man on the park bench and imagine him as a boy. What choices or circumstances changed his dreams and brought him to who and where he is today? Ask yourself, what is he looking at? What does he see?
Recently, I began Neil Gaimon’s MasterClass on writing. I took his advice and uploaded some of my work into the "I Write Like" site. The first piece I uploaded said I write like Agatha Christie. I’d jump for joy to write like the best-selling woman writer of all time, but I’ll admit I was skeptical.
You may have heard that a picture is worth a thousand words, but if that were true,
we'd still be writing in hieroglyphics, wouldn't we?
It may come as no surprise to those who read online that narrow text columns are preferable to wide ones. Good web developers pay attention to browser resolutions and screen sizes to ensure that their web pages are the right width. The length (i.e. word count) of an article is the writer's concern.
How can your reader tell what your characters are talking about?
“They were better, just not as good.” We talk in shorthand a lot, figuring our companions will understand what we leave unsaid. In writing, though, the context of a conversation is all important.
What's your favorite novel writing application? After decades of writing, and several misfires, I have finally found mine. In fact, these days I have an arsenal of writing aids, but one in particular is special for creative work.