 Short Stories: June 26, 2024 Issue [#12615] |
This week: Online Appearances for Static Items Edited by: Dawn Embers  
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Short Stories Newsletter by Dawn
Taking some time to consider ways to adjust a static item when posted a story here on WDC that will make it easier to read. |
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I have a small confession to make. For many years, when I wrote anything on WDC, I only made changes to the appearance of the text when it was for a forum. For the longest time, I put words into a static item, saved it then if there was a contest involved, I'd enter without second thought to how things looked. I'm trying to change that, which means we're going to talk about how the static items look for this newsletter.
One thing we need to consider when thinking about readers is that there are some details we may or may not know. For one, we don't know the type of device they use to get on WDC. Computers and laptops are probably the most common but they aren't the only options. There are also tablets and even some people might use a cell phone to read an item online. Which means there are different screen sizes so how things look can influence whether or not someone keeps reading or moves on to something easier. There are also readers of varying ages and sight abilities. The regular font, while sufficient, may be difficult to read for some people. That brings us to some things you can consider adjusting when creating a static item.
Font
This is one that I have changed the least and might not be necessary but it's also one that I think should be discussed first for that reason. It's not really something one might think to change but we do have the options. If you click on the script looking F above the box where you create a static item with the tool bar, you will be shown options for font styles. There aren't many styles to pick from and some might work better than others for a short story. I'm not sure how Impact font would look, for example, because it might be distracting. Verdana look quite clear and something about courier makes me think of a newspaper. So, while it might not be necessary to change the font style. It is an option.
A note on font colors - it's okay to use colors to an extent. However, when it comes to entering a short story into a contest, it is my recommendation that you don't change the color. Not only are some of the colors difficult to read online but it can also be distracting. The colors are great for forums, blogs and fun random items. When entering a contest, most of the time but there are exceptions, it can look better to keep with the basic black font.
Font Size
This is a big one, hehe. On the more serious side, this is what I'm trying to remember to change and I even do it here on the newsletters. While the basic font size works and I can read stories most of the time, if you check out an item that is adjusted to 3.5 or 4 size instead, I have to admit that it looks nicer. To make the change, the symbol up on the tool bar with the three different sized s (that looks kinda like a snake) will give options. You can also just write in the ml as size:3.5 with the brackets will give you the change and just have to include /size at the end. For any short story, I recommend switching it to at least a 3.5. Maybe don't do 5 because that is better situated for headlines and forums, but for the regular static item, a 3.5 or 4 will be helpful for readers.
What helps in changing the font is that the different screen sizes won't have as big of an influence on readability. Yes, even on a phone it is a little better for have a bigger font. Also, for those that have vision struggles, the change in font will be a benefit. I know some will make a comment in their review if it's the standardized font size because it was difficult for them to read. So, get one step ahead by changing the font when saving the story to your portfolio.
Paragraph Spacing
The final section that I want to comment about for writing short stories on WDC is how one might space paragraphs. This newsletter is a good example of what I recommend. Yes, you can do it without the extra space but that does tend to give it a bulky appearance, making it seem like one big paragraph even if there are multiple in the story. When someone is looking at the site on their phone, it is also harder to reader if everything is bunched together. One line space between paragraphs helps give clarity but keep everything together, multiple lines of space are good indicators of a big change. This is one I will comment about in reviews but something I also see very often. So, I'm talking about it here as something for you to consider. Give a little space, press that "save and view" option and see what you think. How does it look to you compared to keeping the lines together? For me, it will be easier to read with spacing between paragraphs.
At the end of the day, whether you make any changes or not is up to you. These are suggestions or ideas for you to consider. You are the writer and creator of the static item. Go ahead and write the story how you see fit.
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