Watching the web

Writing used to be easy. More complex and expensive, yes, but reassuringly slow. The writer would write, it would be sent to an editor who would edit. Then a sub-editor would get involved. It would be typeset, printed and then eventually distributed. Even writing letters was slow, since it was normally done by hand, then had to be folded, addressed, stamped and posted.

The internet has changed everything. Writing is instant. It shouldn’t be, but it is. And I’m not sure we’re prepared for the changes that have already taken place. For example, it is very easy to forget the situation of your reader. Previously, he may have been a commuter on the train or she may have been a friend with a mug of tea at the kitchen table. Now your reader is a someone peering at a screen. So one has to be brief. Despite the fact that the internet has a limitless amount of memory, the need to be concise has never been greater. Twitter makes a virtue of it. 140 characters can say an awful lot. This is no bad thing — one Bible verse can take a lifetime to unpack.

But there are pitfalls here. In compressing your views on a tweet, messageboard or blog post, you may end up being crass, or say something you will regret. Remember that writing used to be slow and there was plenty of time to change your mind. Even if you think of something terse and meaningful, it might not be a good idea to write it and send it. Some MPs have already regretted tweets and emails, where certain attitudes and prejudices have just slipped out.