Regarding writing style when messaging instantly
Some time before the turn of this last century I began to pay much more attention to my writing style in everyday communications. My email correspondence needed more attention to detail, editing, and focus. This is something I’m still striving to get better at, but some times the constant ticking of the clock inhibits any progress on this particular front.
I also began to try to improve my writing of instant messages. This too is something I’m still working on improving. But I didn’t want to write about my personal goals to improve my writing - but rather on the several styles of writing instant messages that I’ve seen after years of communicating using this medium.
In my experience there are a multitude of writing styles found in instant messaging.
The first that comes to mind is the fast, ill-formed, and often sent instant message style. This style boasts bad capitalization, grammar, spelling mistakes, and very short messages that, when strung together, complete a thought. Here is a quick example:
“dude”
“you hav to see this”
“i took a picture”
“of this guy outside”
“an he was crazy, lol”
This is, without a doubt, my least favorite writing style that I see used within instant messages on a daily basis. I know several people who send messages exactly like this example (yet this is an example and not an actual message I’ve ever received).
The second style is one step closer to the style that I try to employ, which is a style that boasts longer individual messages, usually completing a thought, but devoid of capitalization and punctuation.
“so I went to the movies the other night saw a good movie with my friends what did you do”
You might think I’m kidding with this example. I’m not. I get messages like this all the time. In fact, this writing style resembles the writing style that my mother uses when writing email, which forces me to put off reading her email until I can force my way through it without throwing something.
Obviously, there are many variations of these first two examples - of which you could probably provide me many cases - but the style that I try my very best to use every day is one that boasts proper capitalization, punctuation, decent grammar, spelling, and completes a thought with each single message. The limitations of instant messaging, on occasion, can make it hard to complete a thought with just one message, but normally it can be done. And this isn’t to say that every message and every conversation I hold via instant messaging are long winded - in fact I’m still very much trying to improve my writing style - but by and large I try not to leave out punctuation and capitalization at all costs.
How do you style your instant messages?
April 25th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
For me, my IM style is very dependent on the conversation topic. Some things just break naturally into burst-style messages. For more serious discussion, if I’m giving weighty advice, consulting on an important project, etc. I tend to be a little more formal and send larger blocks of text with more carefully considered lines of thought contained within them. (But then I usually tend to escalate those types of discussions to email or phone/in-person - I don’t like IM for anything more than informal conversation.)
My $0.02.
-Josiah
April 25th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
I try my best to punctuate and spell things correctly, but capitalization is something that varies. If I’m typing something really fast, I’ll usually forgo capitalizing, but if I have to time to think out what I’m writing, I’ll capitalize.
However, depending on who it is I’m talking to, I’ll also change my style. If I really want to make a good impression, I always take the time to think out my messages, but if it’s someone I’ve known for a while, it’s more “stream of consciousness”-style writing.
April 25th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
I always send IM messages as if I’m writing a paper or letter to someone. I can’t stand people that reply with the same structure as above.
April 25th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
You must not chat with Stammy too often then
I think the style I employ for IMing really depends on the age group of the person I’m messaging with. I probably use the first style you mentioned a lot with my friends from my generation — I guess growing up with text messaging and always-online AIM changed the way we communicate with each other.
Otherwise, I just try and cram a rational thought into each message. Just like I would in every day conversation.
April 25th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
I tend to use longer sentences like your second example, but with punctuation. I hardly ever use capitals though. One thing I try to do is spell words correctly. That is something that starts to bother me while writing. lol, 2moro, tho, u — things like those drive me nuts.
April 25th, 2008 at 6:10 pm
Sameer: I never use abbreviations or net lingo. I have a special place on my “hate list” for lol.
April 25th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
lol. Just kidding. Great post.
April 26th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
I’m the exact same. When using text messages I usually use your second example though, with no capitalization, though sometimes I use punctuation. It depends on if I’m in a rush or not.
April 26th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Tricky one. I try to talk/type properly, but most of the time my IM text gets simplified. I don’t use “h8″ and “2moro”, but I do use a hell of a lot of abbreviations. BRB lol wtf tbh imo iirc afaik etc.