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RE: Question about "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Technical Writing"
Subject:RE: Question about "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Technical Writing" From:"Tim J. Slager" <TSlager -at- isdcorporation -dot- com> To:"McLauchlan, Kevin" <Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -dot- com>, Krista Van Laan <kvanlaan -at- silverspringnet -dot- com>, "techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:09:13 -0400
I think "complete" modifies Guide. That's what makes it clever. I rather like the title. Something Socratic there, reminding us of our ignorance.
tims
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+tslager=isdcorporation -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+tslager=isdcorporation -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of McLauchlan, Kevin
Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2011 10:56 AM
To: Krista Van Laan; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: RE: Question about "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Technical Writing"
I think there MIGHT be one or two "For Dummies" books around the house, and those were bought grudgingly.
But there's never been a "Complete Idiot's..." book of any sort, and never will. I do see why people are put off.
The "For Dummies" thing was amusing and relatively gentle, on the order of "nerds" and I guess "geeks", but the series title for "Complete Idiots" seemed both NOT endearing and ... well... a little grasping and desperate.
People can go along with a congenially ribbing "dummy"
moniker, but when it comes to calling themselves a "complete idiot" about something, that's where the line is drawn. They can call themselves that, but they won't stand for other people calling them that.
With that said, I wouldn't "review" or rate a book or any other product without reading it.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Krista Van Laan
>
> I don't keep up with TECHWR-L so much anymore, so I was surprised and
> pleased to see my name. (Thanks, Craig!) We're actually working on an
> update for this book which I hope to have out early in 2012. The
> easily offended will be happy to learn that the book will have a new
> title without the word "Idiot" in it, since the rights reverted to the
> authors. That was so depressing on amazon.com to see people giving it
> zero stars when they admitted they hadn't read it, just because they
> didn't like the title for the series.
>
> Krista Van Laan
>
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