Query: Two dilemmas: "users" and "long books"

[Geoff Hart <geoff-h -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA>]

     I'm currently writing a book on information design, and encountering
     two problems I need some help to resolve. Since the problems likely
     face many techwhirlers, I thought it might be appropriate to post them
     here.

     1. I frequently refer to those who use the information we design in
     our various roles as information designers. Where the context permits,
     I say "the audience" (when discussing a collective target audience),
     "the reader(s)" (for text that will be read rather than looked at) or
     "the viewer(s)" (for visuals, including text treated as a graphic
     image), but sometimes I end up resorting simply to "the user(s)". I
     don't like that word, and the more obvious workarounds ("those who use
     the information", "the readers, the viewers or both", etc.) are long
     and equally unsatisfying. "Clients" doesn't work for me either,
     despite the validity of an implied contract between author/designer
     and audience.

     2. I'm closing in on an estimated 1000 published pages (letter-sized)
     as I approach the end of my first draft (i.e., after expansion to
     include white space and illustrations). Ouch! I want to cover as many
     topics as possible, so eliminating topics won't work. I'm working hard
     to chop the copy as I write and revise (e.g., no passive voice,
     simplified constructions, substituting single words for groups of
     words, etc. etc.). Nonetheless, the text won't come down to a more
     manageable size... which is both good (I'm achieving my goal of broad
     coverage) and bad (trimming too much makes the coverage superficial).
     Books that big are intimidating, hard to read or consult, and fall
     apart when the spine breaks. I've considered publishing it as two
     volumes, but that's an awkward solution for the publisher, the
     librarian and the reader. Part of the book (about 1/4) will be a
     discussion of specifics (e.g., design for online information), perhaps
     for use as a workbook in a course on information design, so perhaps
     this could form the second volume... I've had a few texts that worked
     this way, and the approach worked for me as reader.

     Thanks in advance for your help.

     --Geoff Hart   geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
     #8^{)}
     ("Who shall edit the editors?")