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Writing is all around us, and as designers and developers, we cannot be blind to its importance. However, the format and content of your writing will vary depending on the situation.
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[MUSIC].
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Understanding the fundamentals of writing is essential.
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And it can bring about many benefits
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for your projects, your company, especially your career.
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So today I wanna provide some fundamentals that
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you should understand when it comes to writing.
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Especially if you're looking to get a job in the
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tech industry or looking to improve the writing you do.
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As part of the job you already have.
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We'll discuss various types of writing you should be prepared for.
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How to improve each one.
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Some common errors that people make, and how to avoid them.
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And some strategies that can help you improve your work.
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So it helps to ask this question.
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How does writing impact us?
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Well, writing is all around us.
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And as designers and developers, we can't be blind to the importance of it.
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If you misspell a tag, or a piece of code,
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something could break from a simple link to the entire
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site and if you include typos or show poor writing
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skills in the text that you produce on your site.
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You risk making a bad first impression.
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Poor writing can be embarrassing and it can
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also be costly if we're talking about a business.
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So it doesn't matter if you're a student learning how to code.
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Or designing websites for a living or.
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Writing posts on a blog or if you're
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trying to sell something online, writing is everywhere.
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But the format and the content of
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your writing will vary depending on the situation.
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So let's get into some of the online writing types.
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If you ever need to prepare.
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A cover letter or a project proposal of some kind.
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You must understand how unique professional writing tasks can be.
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Now, this can include messages you write
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to introduce yourself to clients interacting with organizations.
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It could be formal pitches to universities.
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Or even media outlets.
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Now, if you're building sites or apps and cranking out code,
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you may be asked to prepare documentation or instructional kinds of writing.
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Directions, comments and other help text is often needed for the front end design,
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and notes for fellow project collaborators can be helpful on the back end as well.
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Corporate communications is another kind of writing that you might get asked to do.
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Sites need well written, keyword rich effective copy, written for
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its product pages, services and all the other pages in-between.
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And you'll especially know.
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You'll especially need to know how to prepare this if you're writing it for
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your own site, or getting paid by a client to do it for them.
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And, one more type, in the age of social media, it's important
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to know how to prepare and adapt and refocus the subject matter.
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Of your writing for various online platforms, like twitter or LinkedIn.
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The same kind of writing is not always effective across all channels online.
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So knowing how to change things up will give you an advantage.
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As you try to reach out to different audiences.
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So these writing types should sound familiar.
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But it's important to recognize that each one is tied to different kinds of goals.
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And goals are essential for effective writing.
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Professional writing pieces like job cover letters or project
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proposals are done to improve a business or a professional relationship.
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You're looking to start a relationship or partnership, or improve an existing one.
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Instructional writing, like directions on a web form, or comments
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within your code or other documentation is meant to educate.
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And help.
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You're hoping to inform the reader to make their
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experience easier and to enable them to do something.
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Corporate writing, like press releases or product descriptions and other text found
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on websites, is required to compel users to take certain kinds of action.
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You're hoping to appeal.
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To there needs and to their interests with writing that's going to influence them.
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And writings done on social networks and other online social
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platforms is generally done in an attempt to interact with others.
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Sharing information in specific places, sometimes.
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Along with pictures and video and other types of media can help position you
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as an influencer, especially if the content
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that you write and share is valuable.
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So whatever you write should have a purpose, especially if you're writing
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on behalf of a company or product or to improve your own career.
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If you can keep this various writing types in mind.
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You'll know what goals what your goals should be,
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as you prepare and publish each new piece of content.
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