Color your web writing

Posted on September 28, 2008. Filed under: 1 |

Using colourful or visual expressions is a key element of good web writing. Because they capture the imagination, lively expressions feed the attention of the reader. eMarketing specialist Nick Usborne asserts they also help create a human voice and establish a relationship with the user.

I personally collect, revisit, and share all the expressions I enjoy for their imagery or ingenuity. Here are some I came across recently in my readings:

– “…she splashed into the conversation…” (Elizabeth Hay [1])
– “…his mind moved in ever expanding circles of thought…” (David Baldacci [2])
– “…fear freezes investors like deer caught in the headlights.” (Thomas Watson [3])

[1] “she splashed into the conversation”
I like this expression because of the emotional outburst it conveys, and the very agitated and irritating person it suggests: “Once he started to talk, she splashed into the conversation, commenting on everything he said…”

The Penguin book of Canadian short stories, Penguin Canada, “The Friend”, 2007, p. 239.

[2] “…his mind moved in ever expanding circles of thought…”

The idea of the mind spiraling out in thoughts translates the relentless and expanding search for something: “He sat down in a chair and studied the wall as his mind moved in ever expending circles of thought.”

The Winner, Time Warner, 1998, p. 292.

[3] “…fear freezes investors like deer caught in the headlights.”

Comparing investors to frightened deer in a bear market couldn’t be more ingenious. And I think the image of dark frightened eyes in a cloud of light, on a desert road at night, couldn’t better illustrate the “freezing” confidence of investors.

Canadian Business, volume 81, issue 4, “On the trail of the bear,” Canadian Business, March 17, 2008, p. 29.

Bloggers make extensive use of colourful or lively expressions, and they often make their landmark. Because blogs mostly are personal or informal mediums, they are bound to be more colourful than any corporate web site. “Be a friend and act like a Friend,” recommends Usborne.