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Writing tips

Which language to write in?

There is a big need for evangelistic pages in many languages. English remains the most popular language of the Internet. If English is not your first language and you wish to reach beyond your own country, you may wish to produce pages in English.

Remember, you do have an advantage: if you are a second-language English speaker, you know which words of English are difficult to understand, so that you can avoid them. You will also understand the importance of not using English idiom and slang. But it is important that you avoid translating your own idiom and sentence structure into English. Also learn to avoid ‘false friends’ – words which sound the same in English and your language, yet have slightly, or very, different meanings.

Revise and edit

All writing should be revised and shortened many times. If English is not your first language, it is essential that you ask a native English speaker, who is also good at writing, to edit your pages. This applies to any language. Even the best second-language speakers should always have their writing edited by a first-language speaker.

Non-English languages

There is a huge need for online ministry in languages other than English. In some languages, there are still no evangelistic webpages at all! Yet we have the incredible challenge of the second billion web users coming online in the next few years, most of them in the non-western world.

The Guide Network exists to encourage and resource such ministry.