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Subject:RE: LONG - A colloquial writing style? From:"Joe Malin" <jmalin -at- tuvox -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Tue, 10 May 2005 11:30:17 -0700
Dear John,
I agree that technical and non-technical audiences are different, and
will want different things.
You're probably right that Dummies books deliberately choose their style
to be non-threatening. I accept that, though I'm not happy with it. I
don't like "dumbing down", but then again I'm not really the target
audience. I suppose I have not yet set aside a prejudice I have.
I'd like to point out that I've seen the colloquial style in books that
*are definitely* for technical people. I don't like it, and not because
I don't like funny stuff or colloquial writing. It's because it
interferes with my reading. I really sense a mental jarring that breaks
my concentration. Again, this is personal preference.
I also have to compliment Dummies books. I find that they're always
well-organized, easy to read, and well-edited. I've read some O'Reilly
books that do *not* fit that category. It's as if experts writing to
other experts are somehow allowed to be worse writers...
Joe
-----Original Message-----
From: John Posada [mailto:jposada01 -at- yahoo -dot- com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 10:04 AM
To: Joe Malin; TECHWR-L
Subject: RE: LONG - A colloquial writing style?
> It all comes down to audience and information. I *hate* the cutesy
> titles in Dummies books, because it interferes with my ability to get
> information. I have to read the subtitles to figure out what they're
> really talking about!
The idea behind personas is that you identify how your targeted audience
wants it arranged, then write to that style. If you, as a techy, are the
targeted audience, it will be arranged differently than someone who is
not techy. They've prpbably figured that their target is the less-techy
and would appreciate that presentation format.
Look at the difference between the Dummies books and the O'Reilly books.
Can you think of more opposite ends of the spectrum? They've picked
their market and to their credit, both of them stick to their target.
John Posada
Senior Technical Writer
"Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur
built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic." - Dave
Barry
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