May 31, 2005
A WriterOnLine Publication

My dear readers,

Digital rhetoric and literacy. What the heck is that supposed to mean? It is a topic that has become near and dear to my heart as it is the topic of my master's thesis. It is also, I believe, a critical issue for society.

First, an examination of terms. Rhetoric: "Art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing" (Oxford Desk Dictionary, 1997). Add the word digital to that definition, and you have the art of effective speaking or writing using digital media. Now let's look at the definition of literacy. In simpler times, to be considered literate, one need be able to read, write, and do basic computation.

The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 defines literacy as "an individual's ability to read, write, speak in English, compute and solve problems at levels of proficiency necessary to function on the job, in the family of the individual, and in society." (http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/faqs.html#literacy)

There are now 52.6 million websites on the Internet. Most business and a considerable amount of personal communication is done by email and instant messenger. Email is now considered to be legal documentation. Blogging is revolutionizing the mass media. We could go on, but the point is to emphasize the importance of proficiency in digital media for modern-day literacy.

The thing of it is, our traditional styles of reading and writing are changing drastically, also due to (surprise!) the Internet. In fact, did you know that the screen has now replaced the page as the primary vehicle for delivering text? And that even so called traditional pages are being designed more and more to look like computer screens? The trend is for a page to be a self-contained module as opposed to a step in a linear progression.

So get ahead on the curve and think about your writing and how your genre of choice will be affected by these new concepts in text and writing.

The theme for this issue of WriterOnline is commercial writing where Peter Bowerman is our guru. Don't miss his article! And for all you commercial writers out there, cheers to you! Keep up the good work.

WRITERS' MENTORING SERVICE

In our previous issue we introduced a Writers' Mentoring Service. We call it a mentoring service because we want to help you wherever you're at with your writing, whether it be reading some odds and end notes you've collected and helping you figure out how to proceed with your career, or editing that manuscript before you send it off to an agent or publisher. Read more about it.

SUBSCRIBER INCENTIVE PROGRAM

Here's your chance to get a wonderfully delightful piece by Mark Twain free for recommending subscribers to WOL. Receive a copy of How To Sell a Story and Others when we get a new subscriber who you recommend. Instruct your writing friends, neighbors, and colleagues to send an email to editor@writer-on-line.com requesting to be added to our mailing list. And also tell them to be sure to include your name and email address.

LEARNING CENTER SUMMER SESSION

Remember – we are offering some great savings on our Learning Center courses for the months of June, July, and August. Sign up for any one course and save 10%, two courses – 15%, and three courses – 20%! What a way to spend the summer, brushing up on your writing skills or learning to do a kind of writing you've never done before. Go for it!

Read on, my friends, enjoy, and until next issue, keep that ink flowing and those keyboards a'clacking

My warm regards,
Mary Anne Donovan

P. S. Have you seen Writer Online Learning Center lately? Just like here at WOL, the Learning Center has a whole new look, not to mention a new name. We have 25 courses, covering a broad range of interests and subject matter. New to the line up is Fiction Know-How, taught by Deborah Sutton. Check out the course description. Another cool course is Writing Poetry Inspired by Landscape or Place, taught by Jodi Rowland. Then, on the other end of the spectrum, check out Digital Communication Methods and Introduction to Technical Writing taught by yours truly.

IN THIS ISSUE

 

Peter Bowerman gives a new meaning to “using friends” in “Friend-ly Prospecting: Why Haven’t You Called Your Friends For Work?”

Don’t forget to take your medication…with you when you head to a conference.  A good tip from Regina Allen in “Bringing the Essentials.”

If your looking for a writing challenge, take a look at “Non-Fiction Contests – How to make the Truth Dance” by Grace Tierney, where she offers some good advice on writing creative non-fiction and provides information on many, many contests. 

Pamela Beers shares her editor’s eye in “The Curmudgeon Speaks: Watch Out: Is That What You Really Mean?”  This is sure to make you laugh.  After you have a few laughs, try this issue’s puzzle Grammar, Grammar Everywhere!

Offering some more helpful commercial writing tips is Christina Hamlett in “Making the Most of Professional Consultation.” 

What exactly is commercial writing?  Judy Shenouda provides us with an exciting vision of commercial writing in “A Commercial Writer by any Other Name.”

Are you a vocabularian?  Find out by reading Shelley Bueche’s News. 

You also won’t want to miss out on this issue’s contest, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”  This is your chance to share in America’s favorite past time: baseball. 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

SAVINGS: LEARNING CENTER SUMMER SESSION

They're back! Those infamous lazy, hazy days when many of us writers tend to languish on our front porches sipping mint juleps and scratching at mosquito bites. Instead, this summer, swat those mosquitoes, switch to iced tea, and hone your writing skills with a course (or two, or three) from the WriterOnline Learning Center. And take advantage of our special Summer Session pricing:

• Take 1 course, save 10%

• Take 2 courses, save 15%

• Take 3 courses save 20%

Decide which courses you want to take, and we'll be back with sign up details in our next issue!

---

 

Let us guide you on your writing path

We have a cadre of wonderful writers and teachers who are available to work with you whatever your writing need or problem. If you need advice on what direction to take your writing, we can help. If you have a manuscript that needs a good edit, we can help. If you need someone to brainstorm article ideas with, we can help. And if you have any other issue with your writing, we can help.

Contact us with a description of your need and desired service. We will then contact you so we can find the person who will best suit your needs. The cost of our service is $35 per hour. For more information email editor@writer-on-line.com

Contest

 

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

We all have childhood memories of watching baseball, eating hotdogs and cracker jacks.  Some of us even have memories of playing “little league” games or pick up games in our backyards.  Read more

Puzzle

 

Grammar, Grammar Everywhere!

Last issue it was flowers, this issue it's grammar. We got a robust response for our last little grammar puzzle, so here's another one to sink your teeth (and keyboards) into. Read more

News

By Shelley Bueche

One Bark or Two?

DO Judge a Book by its Cover!

One the Road Again—I Just Can’t Wait to Get on the Road Again

Are You Calling Me a Vocabularian?  Read on …