Re: Book: What makes a great user manual?

Subject: Re: Book: What makes a great user manual?
From: Chris Morton <salt -dot- morton -at- gmail -dot- com>
To: "techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2017 11:06:26 -0500

Thanks, Tim, but my question isn't about *Dummies* books. They obviously
work for many and that's great. I was turned off by a volume on TCP/IP I
bought years ago.

I do a fair amount of writing. Outside of the technical realm, much of what
I write includes humor here and there, as witnessed on this and other
forums in which I participate. So I enjoy a good bit of humor. But while
growing up, I never found The Three Stooges, Green Acres or Gomer Pyle to
be funny enough to keep me engaged. For me, that level of
thunk-over-the-head humor doesn't cut it.

So... back to the original question....

Chris Morton



â Substantive Editing â Technical Writing â Proofreading
â Marketing Expertise â Mentoring
Click to
<http://t.sidekickopen68.com/e1t/c/5/f18dQhb0S7lC8dDMPbW2n0x6l2B9nMJN7t5XYgdnqQxW7fsH3H4XrddKW1pNgV-56dMhqf2Q-c6C02?t=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fpub%2Fchris-morton%2F2%2F166%2F6ba&si=6020636811198464&pi=fa4629a9-bd82-48f9-f5b3-6b9bd993b242>


On Mon, Jan 16, 2017 at 10:48 AM, Slager Timothy J <
Timothy -dot- Slager -at- dematic -dot- com> wrote:

> I've used a few Dummies books. One I thought was amazingly well done, and
> another was pretty bad. Both of these were on programming, which I knew
> next to nothing about.
>
> tims
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+timothy -dot- slager=dematic -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+timothy -dot- slager=dematic -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com]
> On Behalf Of Chris Morton
> Sent: Monday, January 16, 2017 10:40 AM
> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: Re: Book: What makes a great user manual?
>
> I can't stand *Dummies* books, Craig. Usually the humor is at the Adam
> Sandler/Mr. Bean level. Not my cuppa.
>
> Chris Morton
>
>
>
> â Substantive Editing â Technical Writing â Proofreading
> â Marketing Expertise â Mentoring Click to <
> http://t.sidekickopen68.com/e1t/c/5/f18dQhb0S7lC8dDMPbW2n0x6l2B9nM
> JN7t5XYgdnqQxW7fsH3H4XrddKW1pNgV-56dMhqf2Q-c6C02?t=https%3A%
> 2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fpub%2Fchris-morton%2F2%2F166%
> 2F6ba&si=6020636811198464&pi=96a12667-7627-44fb-9750-a7bfe0e453e7>
>
>
> On Mon, Jan 16, 2017 at 10:38 AM, Cardimon, Craig <ccardimon -at- m-s-g -dot- com>
> wrote:
>
> > I always liked the Dummies books as launching pads. Great just to get
> > you started.
> >
> > Anyone else use Dummies as starting points?
> >
> > ~Craig
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: techwr-l-bounces+ccardimon=m-s-g -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:
> > techwr-l-bounces+ccardimon=m-s-g -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of
> > Chris Morton
> > Sent: Monday, January 16, 2017 10:35 AM
> > To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> > Subject: Re: Book: What makes a great user manual?
> >
> > Specifically I'm interested in a somewhat breezy book (but not like
> > *Dummies*) that clearly explains the problems the problems that can
> > ensue with a manual that is poorly written/laid out.
> >
> > Chris Morton
> >
> >
> >
> > â Substantive Editing â Technical Writing â Proofreading
> > â Marketing Expertise â Mentoring Click to <
> > http://t.sidekickopen68.com/e1t/c/5/f18dQhb0S7lC8dDMPbW2n0x6l2B9nM
> > JN7t5XYgdnqQxW7fsH3H4XrddKW1pNgV-56dMhqf2Q-c6C02?t=https%3A%
> > 2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fpub%2Fchris-morton%2F2%2F166%
> > 2F6ba&si=6020636811198464&pi=7db9504b-239d-4442-cc97-f40fe7da56e4>
> >
> >
> > On Mon, Jan 16, 2017 at 10:13 AM, Chris Morton <salt -dot- morton -at- gmail -dot- com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Considering the following (as well as usability works by Steve
> > > Krug), I'm wondering if there is a similar volume that takes a good
> > > look at user manuals. Your recommendations welcome, although each
> > > should be easy read in keeping with what Redish and Krug are
> > > conveying. (I have a low tolerance for high-brow studies written by
> > > PhDs.)
> > >
> > > *Letting Go of the Words: Writing Web Content that Works* by Ginny
> > > Redish
> > >
> > > "Web site design and development continues to become more
> sophisticated.
> > > An important part of this maturity originates with well-laid-out and
> > > well-written content. Ginny Redish is a world-renowned expert on
> > > information design and how to produce clear writing in plain
> > > language for the web. All of the invaluable information that she
> > > shared in the first edition is included with numerous new examples.
> > > New information on content strategy for web sites, search engine
> > > optimization (SEO), and social media make this once again the only
> > > book you need to own to optimize your writing for the web."
> > >
> > > Thanks
> > >
> > > Chris Morton
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > â Substantive Editing â Technical Writing â Proofreading
> > > â Marketing Expertise â Mentoring Click to
> > >
> > > <http://t.sidekickopen68.com/e1t/c/5/f18dQhb0S7lC8dDMPbW2n0x6l2B9nMJ
> > > N7
> > > t5XYgdnqQxW7fsH3H4XrddKW1pNgV-56dMhqf2Q-c6C02?t=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.li
> > > nk
> > > edin.com%2Fpub%2Fchris-morton%2F2%2F166%2F6ba&si=6020636811198464&pi
> > > =2
> > > 0d48203-2891-4cb8-fd95-abe81b7e7276>
> > >
> > >
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Follow-Ups:

References:
Book: What makes a great user manual?: From: Chris Morton
Re: Book: What makes a great user manual?: From: Chris Morton
RE: Book: What makes a great user manual?: From: Cardimon, Craig
Re: Book: What makes a great user manual?: From: Chris Morton
RE: Book: What makes a great user manual?: From: Slager Timothy J

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