Nicely Said

Description

Whether you’re new to web writing, or you’re a professional writer looking to deepen your skills, this book is for you. You’ll learn how to write web copy that addresses your readers’ needs and supports your business goals.
Learn from real-world examples and interviews with people who put these ideas into action every day: Kristina Halvorson of Brain Traffic, Tiffani Jones Brown of Pinterest, Randy J. Hunt of Etsy, Gabrielle Blair of Design Mom, Mandy Brown of Editorially, Sarah Richards of GOV.UK, and more.
Topics include:
• Write marketing copy, interface flows, blog posts, legal policies, and emails
• Develop behind-the-scenes documents like mission statements, survey questions, and project briefs
• Find your voice and adapt your tone for the situation
• Build trust and foster relationships with readers
• Make a simple style guide
“Writing is a skill that will hugely benefit anyone’s career, and luckily, it’s a skill that anyone can learn. Nicely Said is a wonderful guide to writing clearly and concisely for the audience you’re trying to reach. Whether you’re a professional or just getting started, you’ll find a ton to steal from here.”
(—Austin Kleon, author of Steal Like An Artist and Show Your Work!
“Between them, Kate and Nicole have written for many of the web’s most valuable and respected companies. Their commitment to clarity and kindness is the result of their experience, and it makes them extraordinary teachers.”
– Erin Kissane, author of The Elements of Content Strategy

Nicely Said: Writing for the Web with Style and Purpose is a practical guide to writing for digital products and websites.  This book will help students develop clear digital communications and improve them over time.

This book answers questions like:

• How do we get people to care about our products?
• What’s the business value of empathetic communications?
• Why do we need to worry about voice, tone, and wording?
• How can we create better web content as our audiences grow?

The book walks students through making a framework for great communications—with stories, recipes, and brief examples to learn from. When they finish this book, they’ll see their  content in a more meaningful light. They’ll understand how to manage a communication process, find their company’s brand voice, and adjust their tone for different situations. They’ll know how to build trust with customers and show empathy in their writing. 

Nicole Fenton is an independent writer and editor in Brooklyn. She has worked at a large social network, a startup incubator, a design studio, and Apple. She manages content projects of all sizes and teaches writing as a design practice.

Kate Kiefer Lee is a writer and editor at MailChimp and a former magazine editor. She has written for publications like Forbes and A List Apart, and spoken about web content around the world. She teaches people how to write like they talk.

Nicely Said shows you how to develop clear and audience-appropriate digital communications and improve them over time.

•    Focuses on writing with kindness and simplicity and covers research about branding, voice, and tone.
•    Takes an iterative approach to content development.
•    Offers the authors’ unique perspectives, with a mix of work in the Fortune 500, startups, publishers, and client services.

Additional information