Social media has changed how readers expect stories to look, sound, and move. Readers are used to stories that unfold in fragments, with cliff-hangers and side comments, and that invite them to participate. That doesn’t mean you have to turn your novel into a TikTok series—but it does mean recognising the attention economy your words are entering.
What’s happening to grammar on the internet is what’s always happened to language: it’s shifting to fit the way we live and talk. The difference is that now, those shifts happen in public, in real time, with millions of people experimenting, borrowing, and remixing the rules.
So yes, grammar’s a little feral right now. But maybe that’s a good thing
If you write for online audiences, understanding digital shorthand isn’t optional — it’s essential. This language matters because it’s how people — especially younger audiences — process emotion, build relationships, and construct identity. And tone is everything.
