Why Print Probably Won't Die

People skim when they read web text.  You're doing it right now.  As a result, writers have to change their style if they want to publish online:

 - Witty introductions are replaced with topic sentences

 - Subtlety is dropped for bluntness

 - Function takes precedence over aesthetics

 - Heartfelt prose becomes snappy bullet points

 - Solemnity is forsaken for the conversational--the informal

There is a place for this sort of writing: the internet.  But people still crave more in their lives than the glut of information that online media provides.  Sure, people find it convenient to skim quick descriptions of the lawnmower they want to buy on Amazon or the recipe on FoodNetwork.  But when the work is done, people still enjoy:

 - Beautiful prose

 - Character development

 - Catharsis

 - Thoughtful commentary

 Online media cannot provide these things, because reading off a computer screen is uncomfortable.  As for whether people still crave well-researched, well-written news articles or prefer the quick blurbs they can get online is up for debate.  But after reading the stylistic techniques for good web writing, it has given me hope for printed fiction and creative nonfiction, because they simply cannot be replicated and enjoyed on a computer screen.