Writing Online: A Guide to Effective Digital Communication at Work - Paperback

by Erika Darics (Author)

Online writing plays a complex and increasingly prominent role in the life of organizations. From newsletters to press releases, social media marketing and advertising, to virtual presentations and interactions via e-mail and instant messaging, digital writing intertwines and affects the day-to-day running of the company - yet we rarely pay enough attention to it. Typing on the screen can become particularly problematic because digital text-based communication increases the opportunities for misunderstanding: it lacks the direct audio-visual contact and the norms and conventions that would normally help people to understand each other. Providing a clear, convincing and approachable discussion, this book addresses arenas of online writing: virtual teamwork, instant messaging, emails, corporate communication channels, and social media. Instead of offering do and don't lists, however, it teaches the reader to develop a practice that is observant, reflective, and grounded in the understanding of the basic principles of language and communication. Through real-life examples and case studies, it helps the reader to notice previously unnoticed small details, question previously unchallenged assumptions and practices, and become a competent digital communicator in a wide range of professional contexts.

Author Biography

Erika Darics, PhD, is a researcher at the Centre for Critical Inquiry into Society and Culture at Aston University UK and a consultant for organizations on internal and external communication issues. She is an interdisciplinary scholar working at the intersection of three fields: discourse, communication, and organizational studies. She has recently published the edited volume Digital Business Discourse, and her published work has also appeared in the International Journal of Business Communication and the Journal of Politeness Research, among other outlets. @LinguaDigitalis