Re: Top XX books for tech writers?

[Linnea Dodson <tscribe -at- HOTMAIL -dot- COM>]

>> So let me phrase it this way for kicks: which 5 or 10 books, if
>> borrowed
>> from your library without the borrower asking, will infuriate you the
>> most?

This answer may change daily depending on what project I'm currently
working on, but in general mine would be:

1)  The Synonym Finder by Rodale
2)  Webster's New World College Dictionary

Aside from their intrinsic worth, I've been writing in them -- the
Webster now has much of Barron's Dictionary of Computer and Internet
Terms copied in the margins, and the Synonym Finder has homemade tabs
over words such as "data," "get," "information," "select" etc.  These
are important enough that I have two copies, one for office and one for
home.

3)  A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations
(current edition) by Kate Turabian. This has most of the stuff I look up
in Chicago, but at 1/3 the price and size.  This also has homemade tabs.
(Post-it notes, the tech writer's friend!)

I'm tempted to be normal and put style guides for the last two --
certainly Microsoft's Manual of Style and Sun's Read Me First have stood
me in good stead.  However the other two resources closest to my heart
are:

4)  Zen and the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury.  After a long day of
writing "Click this button.  Now click that button" or hearing "I don't
care what you think, the client wants that paragraph bolded, italicized,
and underlined!" (actual example, in 8-point type to boot) it is
incredibly soothing to bury myself in the advice of one of my favorite
authors.  It reminds me why I really like this job.

And finally,

5)  My URL list.  Not a purchasable book, but a reference all the same;
I keep a list of URLs in my DayRunner in table form.  The list gets
updated constantly and is now up to 12 pages, 4 of which are devoted to
several genres of writing.  I'd REALLY hate to lose that!

Nea Dodson

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