eLearning Script Writing Tips To Perfect Your eLearning Course Narrative
As eLearning professionals we are often required to tackle a wide range of tasks and responsibilities in order to get the job done and to create the best possible eLearning experience for our audiences. Becoming a strong writer is usually par-for-the-course. We must continually hone our writing talents and learn the nuances of carefully crafting content if we want to develop successful eLearning deliverables. In this article, I'll share some helpful eLearning script writing tips that you'll want to bear in mind when writing your eLearning course narrative.
- Writing is a careful balance of planning and execution.
The secret to creating truly powerful and immersive content is all in the planning. You have to brainstorm your ideas, get a clear idea of what you are trying to achieve, and consider the message you want to convey to your learners before you ever put pen to paper, or finger to keyboard, in most cases. This creates a sense of order and clarity in your writing, rather than developing eLearning content that lacks clear direction and focus. So, take the time to collect your thoughts and then concentrate on how you are going to actually execute your plan. If any ideas need to be clarified, then speak with a subject matter expert beforehand, or do some research to figure out how you can best deliver the eLearning content for maximum effect. - Make it fun, entertaining, and relatable.
An eLearning course narrative, regardless of the subject matter, should be relatable, entertaining, and inspiring. Even if you are dealing with a dry subject matter, creating an eLearning course narrative that grabs learners'attention and helps them connect with the material is all-important. Use language that your learners can understand and remember that you are educating human beings. Keep it conversational and interesting, while still giving them the information they need to know. - Simple and straightforward is the secret to a successful eLearning narrative.
While it's always good to interject creativity into your eLearning scripts, it's also essential to keep things simple and straightforward. Don't go off into tangents that may be entertaining but not necessarily informative for your learners. And, first and foremost, make it concise! If you find that certain bits of text seem unnecessary or don't serve the eLearning goals and objectives, then cut it out of your narrative. For example, if you're creating an eLearning script for a character-based story, you don't have to go into their entire backstory and reveal every detail of their personality. Just give the learners the information they require to connect and relate with the characters, without overwhelming them with extraneous details. - Remember that writing styles should be fluid and adaptable.
Your writing style should adapt to whatever you are writing. If you are creating an eLearning narrative for a corporate online training deliverable that is addressed to the upper level management, then your tone needs to be more professional or serious. On the other hand, when developing an eLearning course for younger adults, you could use language and tone that is light-hearted and less formal. While you can have a distinct writing style that is all your own, and a cultivated writing voice that reflects your talents and personal character, you should also be willing to adapt the style that better suits the needs of your learners. - Choose words that paint a picture.
The language you use should paint a vivid picture for your learners. It should make them feel something. Use words that are more descriptive and visual in nature. Include vivid imagery that helps the learner to put themselves in the shoes of the character or immerse themselves in a situation. By doing this, they become active participants who can see the real world applications of the knowledge they are acquiring, and connect with the eLearning content on a much deeper level. - How it reads is just as important as what is being said.
How your eLearning content sounds when it is being read aloud, as well as how easy it is to read, are two key considerations to remember when you're writing your eLearning course narrative. While using a fancy font might make the eLearning course look more polished, it can also make it difficult for learners to comprehend. Likewise, if you are using words that may be more complex or don't flow in the overall narrative, it may compromise the quality of the eLearning course. Therefore, you'll want to read it aloud after you've written the eLearning script, just to ensure that it sounds as good as originally intended, and stick with fonts that are clear and legible on all eLearning platforms. - Give it an active voice!
Your writing must have a unique voice, and preferably an active one. It must make your learners feel as though they are being welcomed into a supportive learning environment where they can get the information they need to help them in their real lives. If you use an active voice, rather than passive, you can make your eLearning script direct, engaging, and motivational, as your learners will be able to immediately see the value of the subject matter that you are offering them.
Use these eLearning script writing tips to produce content that leaves a lasting impression on your learners. Taking the time to perfect your eLearning course narrative has a direct impact upon what your learners take away from the eLearning experience and can mean the difference between achieving eLearning goals and failing to meet their expectations.
Even when you have finished with all the writing, you are not actually done yet! Without a thorough round of proofreading, chances are the finished eLearning deliverable just isn't going to be an accurate representation of your talent or expertise! Read the article 7 Tips for Proofreading And Editing Your eLearning Course to learn about the techniques that can help develop high quality eLearning deliverables that are always polished and perfected.
