May 3rd, 2010

Fear and Loathing in Cyberland: Gonzo Journalism

Gonzo journalism, an inimitable style of journalism created and popularised by the human wrecking ball known as Hunter S. Thompson, combined a lightning-quick wit and stylistically unusual writing with a fearless nose for news. Now in print, this style was hard to capture if you weren’t blessed with the capacity to actually be Dr. Thompson. However, on the web, this hyperised, speed-laced writing is a healthy example to follow. And here’s why…

Gonzo journalism is exciting and eye-catching in a way that normal news stories are not, and can never be. This writing emphasises stylistic aspects, unique to you and your website, over objective facts which everyone has access to. This means, that in a world in which everyone gets their news quickly, what matters is not your immediate grasp on what happened, nor your popularity on the web. Instead, what matters is your own stylistic signature, unique to you and your website. If your readers like the way you write they’ll come back. If you write like everyone else, what’s to come back to?

It’s common knowledge that to make your brand, product or website special, you need to have something that sets you apart. And one of the easiest ways to set yourself apart is to have a writing style all your own.

The internet isn’t your high school English class. This doesn’t mean you should just dismiss spelling entirely and write in ALL CAPS WH#Never You FeEl lyke it. But what it does mean, is that you have the freedom to be yourself, within the confines of the written word. Are you a sarcastic person? Write sarcastically. Do you like to make up words that make a weird sort of sense (like hyperised)? On your website, not only can you do that, but you might actually be praised for it. Maybe you’ll even catch a few new readers.

We’ve got new terrain here on the inter-webs, a place where the old rules don’t apply any more. Why not attract a little more attention, just by being a little more Gonzo, and in doing so, being a little more you?

Photos by dsa66503

Communications