Re: Chattiness in manuals

[SaraTörök <sara -dot- torok -at- se -dot- nucletron -dot- com>]

Hi Sarah,

I would presume the writer is American, because:

1. They are very fond of holding 'lectures' or telling stories as if they 
had a live audience or as if the text was supposed to be read out loud.
2. All writers in US of any kind still get paid by the word (or so the 
malicious rumor says... ;.)

Seriously, this style could be fine in a tutorial, but in a reference 
manual, online help, or the like - NEVER.
I'm looking for an answer to my question, a solution to my problem, facts, 
facts, facts. Don't waste my time with chitchat, jokes and anecdotes. I'm 
not up for it right now. I'm trying to do my job.

Maybe it's cultural...

Regards
Sara
______________________
Sara Török
Technical Writer





"Sarah Bouchier" <Sarah -dot- Bouchier -at- exony -dot- com> 
Sent by: techwr-l-bounces+sara -dot- torok=se -dot- nucletron -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
2006-10-17 12:52

To
"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
cc

Subject
Chattiness in manuals






Having spent much of yesterday wrestling with a sudden random desire to
ditch all rules of formal writing (not being a fan of being fired, I did
eventually succeed in convincing my brain to be professional instead!),
I'm vaguely curious.

 

How would you react to a manual that said, "The installation of this
component may take several minutes.  This would be a good time to go and
get a cup of tea"?

 

(Other than concluding that the author had run mad and needed to be
fitted with a snazzy waistcoat with long sleeves, of course)

 

S.

----------------------------------------- 
Sarah Bouchier 
Technical Author 

exony 

 

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