Theodore Kim, assistant news editor at The New York Times, helps journalists understand the differences in writing news for a mobile audience. This presentation is accompanied by a handout, "Writing for Mobile." Both were created for NewsTrain in Philadelphia on Nov. 13-14, 2015, and in Lincoln, Nebraska, on April 9, 2016. NewsTrain is a training initiative of Associated Press Media Editors. More info: http://bit.ly/NewsTrain

1. Writing for Mobile
Theodore Kim | @TheoTypes | April 2016

2. Writing for Mobile
• Why care about mobile?
• What are our objectives?
• Helpful tips on writing for mobile
• Exercises
• Wrap-up

4. Viral Growth
• Mobile-connected devices exceeded the world’s
population in 2014.
• Amount of yearly mobile data traffic will soon
eclipse the size of the entire Internet in 2007.
• By decade's end, that amount will be surfed every
month.

5. Half of the audience is
now mobile-only

6. What does it mean to write for mobile?

7. Let’s talk goals

14. Good writing is good writing

15. Blaise Pascal
“I would have written a shorter letter, but I did not
have the time.”

16. Make your case quickly and simply

20. Imagine you’re talking to someone
you know

24. “Hey Martha!”

25. Be helpful

26. Be right

27. Think in seconds

29. Write in sentences

31. Think like a Web producer

32. Exercise Time!

37. Writing for Mobile
• Make your case quickly and simply
• Imagine you’re talking to someone you know
• Apply the “Hey Martha!” test
• Be right
• Be helpful. Don’t just tease.
• Think in seconds
• Write in sentences
• Think like a Web producer

38. Questions?

39. Writing for Mobile
Theodore Kim | @TheoTypes