Writing for the Web & Social Media

Writer’s Block Philippines, organized a workshop entitled, “Writing for the Web & Social Media”, last Saturday, September 6, 2014.

It was held at Fully Booked, in Bonifacio Global City.

Writer’s Block Philippines, puts together relevant writing workshops. I have been wanting to attend their writing workshops, I just did not have the time. ( plus, there was no sense of urgency, since I was not “grammar nazied”, then.)

It was through Fully Booked ezine that I read of the writing workshop. Fortunately this time, it was not in conflict, with my schedule.

“Writing for the Web & Social Media” is a fantastic way for aspiring writers and business communicators who want to break through and understand the on-line space. In this workshop, on-line experts – let’s call them digital natives – will buddy up with writers so participants can better understand how to make their stories rise above the on-line clutter using through crowdsourcing, by harnessing multi-media channels and writing a punchy irresistibly clickable Twitter headline.”

– Writer’s Block Philippines

The speakers were:

Ana P. Santos. She is a journalist and a contributing writer for Rappler. ( co-founder of Writer’s Block Philippines)

Nikka Sarthou-Lainez. She is a Contributing Editor for Smile, the in-flight magazine of Cebu Pacific Air.( co-founder of Writer’s Block Philippines)

Rosario Juan. She is a Social Media Strategist for various small and medium enterprises. She is also the owner of Commune Cafe.

Stacy de Jesus. She is the Social Media Manager for Rappler.

Ms. Rosario Juan

Miss Rosario Juan said that the things written on the web, ” should be bite size and digestible” since most readers have “short attention span”.

She also added that ” brevity is the soul of the wit. ( reminding me of dangling modifiers and run-on sentences which I cannot part with)

She talked about, how “content is king” and “engagement is queen.” She was the embodiment of the knowledge that she imparted.

She was what, every blog posts should be:

1. She was easily understood.

2. She kept the audience interested with her choice of words.

3. She was funny, human and relatable.

4. She kept the audience interested, visually.

5. She was descriptive, but not too much.

6. She communicated in a tone and voice that reached out to the audience.

7. She knew what she was talking about.

8. She clearly loved, what she was doing.

I learned greatly from Miss Juan. I will be applying them on my blog site.

Ms. Stacy de Jesus, Social Media Manager for Rappler

From who else should I learn on “what the younger demographic is consuming” but from the young ( and pretty) ones themselves, right?

Miss Stacy de Jesus, Social Media Manager for Rappler had this to say, “keep your audience curious” . (like the younger generation is)

Although she said, “there is no secret to social media success”, I think, the tips she gave the audience, could already be tools, for social media success.

I love speakers like her -they generously provide the audience with helpful information.

I look at instagram, instaquotes, vine, hashtags and twitter differently now, after her talk.

Ms. Stacy de Jesus

The women behind Writer’s Block Philippines are Ana and Nikka:

Ana P. Santos is a journalist and a writer for Rappler.

Nikka Sarthou-Lainez is a Contributing Editor in Smile, the in-flight magazine of Cebu Pacific Air.

With Ms. Nikka and Ms. Ana

These ladies’ enthusiasm -in sharing their knowledge on writing and social media, encouraged me to improve my writing skill.

Even those few minutes spent, for a writing exercise during the workshop, became a writing prompt for me.

It was a workshop that motivated, the non-techie ones like me, to keep on writing, despite the odds of remembering passwords or a 404 error on the screen.

To borrow Ms. Ana Santos’ words,

I may not be a “digital native” but after the workshop, I may have the potential in becoming a “digital convert”.

I am looking forward to more of these writing workshops that Nikki and Ana will be coordinating.

Thank you Nikka and Ana for the inspiration.

Thank you Rosario for sharing your expertise.

Thank you Stacy, I had just been “social media-wised up.”

I am glad that I went to the workshop.

My seatmates and new-found friends from government:

Sophia and Mimi from the office of Senator Grace Poe

Ervin from Makati City Hall

(Ervin was such a good sport. I could not resist “soapboxing”, as I chided him that he should be receiving “world-class” salary.)

Thank you for the company.