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> noticed that my style of writing is fairly formal
> compared to many reference guides I'm reading
> these days: they seem to be more conversational.
> One thing I have specifically noticed is the use
> of contractions. My
(snipped)
> I'm seriously thinking about "lightening" my
> style, but want to hear some other opinions
I'll throw my two cents in as against using contractions also. They're
easy to misread and are sometimes difficult to translate. I tend to
prefer the more formal style, although I do use "you" rather than "the
user" and I very conscientiously edit out the institutional passive
whenever possible. It does seem that user guides have become much more
informal recently, but I hope it's only a fad. I especially dislike
humor or phrases that talk down to the reader. The Dummies books have
their place, but for a user guide or reference guide that accompanies
the product, I'd opt for the more formal.
Jane Bergen, Technical Writer
Dallas, Texas
janeber -at- cyberramp -dot- net
