Write me a Web Page, Elsie!

by Rachel McAlpine

Rachel McAlpine tackles a communication crisis that is out of control. Essential reading for anyone who writes or manages web content, this book is firmly grounded in the digital workplace of business, government and education.

Genres: Writing

286 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2008

About the author

McAlpine and her five sisters grew up in small-town vicarages in Canterbury, New Zealand. When she was 10 the family moved to Christchurch, where she attended Christchurch Girls High School and Canterbury University, graduating BA and Senior Scholar. She was married twice: to civil engineer Grant McAlpine (1969-1981) and to artist Michael Smither (1988-1992).

After four years in Geneva she moved to Masterton, New Zealand. There she raised four children, taught high school, wrote her first poetry book, and gained a Dip. Ed (Massey University) and B.A. Hons (Victoria University of Wellington).

McAlpine says that her career swerved abruptly in May 1995, when she first saw a web site. As a writer, she immediately realized that traditional writing styles would need to change for this new medium. She began teaching short courses on writing and managing web content in 1996, writing her first book on the topic, Web Word Wizardry, in 1999.

As Curriculum Director of Contented Enterprises, McAlpine created online writing courses. Contented teaches writing skills needed for blogs, social media, intranets, web sites, email, e-learning, and all documents that are managed electronically. Contented courses go beyond the traditional print-based curriculum for business writing: they show how to make content accessible and searchable. McAlpine's courses and conference speeches are original and playful (as befits a poet), while delivering solid information.

Besides her professional work, McAlpine writes two personal blogs. She lives in Wellington, dances with the Crows Feet Dance Collective, walks a lot and does Tai Chi. She also lobbies for plain language communication from government agencies.
~ Wikipedia

Reviews

[Cairo Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rachel McAlpine's writing to straight forward and easy to read. Write me a Web Page, Elsie! does an excellent job of explaining the basics of web writing in a clear and easy-to-understand manner.

One of the things I appreciated about this book is that it covers a wide range of topics related to web writing, including style, structure, and formatting. The book is filled with helpful tips and examples that demonstrate the author's expertise in the field.

I use the 'Top tests for quality content' in my authoring workshops.

"Write Me a Webpage, Elsie" "Write Me a Webpage, Elsie" is a useful and informative book that provides practical advice on how to write effective web content. The author, Rachel McAlpine, has done an excellent job of explaining the basics of web writing in a clear and easy-to-understand manner.

One of the things I appreciated about this book is that it covers a wide range of topics related to web writing, including style, structure, and formatting. The book is also filled with helpful tips and examples that demonstrate the author's expertise in the field.

However, I did find that some of the advice in the book was fairly basic and may be better suited to beginners rather than more experienced web writers. Additionally, I would have liked to see more in-depth coverage of topics like search engine optimization and user experience design.

I recommend "Write Me a Webpage, Elsie" to anyone who is new to web writing or looking to improve their skills in this area. While the book may not be as comprehensive as some other resources on the topic, it is still a valuable guide that offers practical and actionable advice.

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was apprehensive about reading this book because I don't like New Zealand authors (I know, feel the prejudice) and the cover is SO FREAKING LAME my first thought was "Do I really trust this person to teach me anything?"
In short, the answer is 'yes'. I heard a rumour that it a newer edition may be in progress, and I hope they do something about the cover and title. (Who calls their kid Elsie?)

So, not only does this book present extremely helpful ways to engage web readers it's also written in an informal way, solidifying the theme of the book for a cry towards more plain language in written text online and offline. And for that, I'm very grateful.
I read the book cover to cover (took me a few months, but hey) and everything flowed so nicely. The chapters make sense in order and the screenshots were helpful and appropriate.

I liked that the book tried to outline the root cause of bad web writing by having a section at the beginning and end of the book that discusses a need for change in the way businesses run. Things like having your boss understand that writing for paper is different from writing for a web page. The last chapter gives helpful ways to persuade your potential boss to take web writing more seriously and even suggests reading Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability.

I'm a fan.