Comments on: Being a Better Online Reader

By: T. Greer

T. Greer — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 05:38:08 +0000

Whenever I have to write out a long post or series — like that recent one on the Chinese strategic tradition — I write it out first on paper, then type it up and put the links in, then print it out for the first copy-edit. It is so much easier to write long form and spot mistakes when the internet is not there to distract you

By: Bill

Bill — Sun, 14 Jun 2015 15:03:56 +0000

Take a look at this article by Jakob Nielsen, usability guru to website creators since the mid-1990′s. He points out that most people only scan web pages, and suggests ways to improve comprehension by structuring the content of the page. Which doesn’t help if you’re trying to read a novel on a screen, of course.

As far as editing goes, Bob Sykes, when I were a young man, I larned to write and edit on a 40×25 character screen, in all caps (upper case letters were shown in reverse video). Who needs true descenders? Those were the days…

But when editing a book-length manuscript, I’d also print it out, because one needs to see the whole to properly edit the parts.

By: Bob Sykes

Bob Sykes — Sun, 14 Jun 2015 11:53:18 +0000

Admittedly, I’m a geezer, but while I can compose on the screen, I can’t edit on the screen. I always have to print out the material and go sit down somewhere else with a red pencil.