[.ca] Untechnical Writing: How to Write about Technical ... (ISBN 0966994906)

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One of the first things I noticed about this book as I flipped through it before reading was the use of quotations. They caught my eye and made me stop more than once to read the rest of the section before going back to where I started. I had to force myself to stop reading the quotations and go back to the beginning. Bravo, Mr. Bremer, for making me anticipate each section and the great quotations I knew it would contain. This isn't your typical "how to write user documentation" book. If you're looking for dry, technically-scientific terms and long winded sentences, don't read this book. Warning: This book isn't for everyone who wants to be a technical writer or a better technical writer. If you are looking for a lesson in grammar, don't read this book. If you are expecting to learn how to type or use a word processor, forget reading this book. However, if you are looking for a new, innovative way to write clear, concise instructions for the layman consumer audience, then make yourself comfortable and read away. This is your book. Caution: This book may cause you to see technical documentation in a new light. You may become overly excited and expect your company to immediately adopt your new ideals and change their documentation or product lifecycle processes. It's very obvious, right from the beginning that Mr. Bremer knows what he's talking about and can express himself very well. He has a firm grasp on who the reader is and how to sort through the garbage and find that reader the gems. He describes the different readers and how to best reach each one. Best of all, he doesn't cop a "holier-than-thou" attitude. Even though we can tell he's "been there, done that, and bought the t-shirt," he keeps his opinions low key. I, for one, am grateful. I refuse to take any technical author seriously who tells me that their way is the ONLY way. Mr. Bremer makes it very clear that what he's writing about are ideals and suggestions that have worked for him in one form or another and may not work for everyone. Mr. Bremer's basic philosophy is to keep everything simple. "Simple in language. Simple in style. Simple in organization. Keep Occam's Razor handy, and use it often." For those who don't know, Occam's Razor is the rule that if there are two ways to do something, the simpler one is the better one. That rule has always been a personal favorite of mine and I am glad to see it used here.

Superficial:
Sorry, but this is too superficial for most users. I have been looking for some type of technical writing manual for a group of people who need some training. This is a series of to-do lists with no how-to's. There is a lot of prose and how Michael Bremer likes to do things, but he writes as though everyone has the skills, and they simply need a refresher of all of the tips that are already on the internet. BTW - the author worked at Maxis which could explain why the cover includes a glowing review from Maxis founder. While I would like someone to buy my copy - it has no markings! - I can't really recommend spending the money.

One chapter "borrowed" from Donald Norman:
I can't understand why this has had so many good reviews. I'm sick of these "soft science" books! It's unoriginal... One whole chapter (Interface Design) is taken -- not word for word, but idea for idea, without any credit -- from Donald Norman's book The Psychology of Everyday Things: "affordances", "mappings", door handle design, annoying car key systems. I can't understand how this is legal and why noone has picked up on it here. It certainly made me angry that someone pitching himself as a writer's advocate should feel free to take another person's work like this. In general, it's all been said better elsewhere: Elements of Style for writing, Don't Make Me Think for interface design, Secrets of Successful Websites for project management. There's too much filler... The author admits that many sofware manufacturers ask writers to deliberately "fatten" books to make the product seem more substantial, and this seems to be one of his talents! - There are endless jokey asides that get in the way of real information. - Dozens of copied-from-a-book quotes and jokes. - A page and a half weighing up Mac versus PC; a long, unenlightening side bar about his wife's problems with a toaster; platitudinous guff about the writer's "craft" and "philosophy". - Repetition: writing is hard, writers have to be tactful, software always changes at the last minute, etc., etc. But not enough detail... - Bremer gripes about office politics without making any concrete suggestions on how to deal with conflicts of interest and other project management problems. - He gives very little idea of how to plan, structure, revise, condense (or expand) technical writing more effectively: just a questionable assumption that technical writing should be more personalised (using the first and second person, jokes and quotes) and that terseness is over-rated. A couple of good things: the author points to children's books as the best place to learn about clear, simple writing and also gives some idea of the personal aspect of being a technical writer (contract versus permanent, office versus home). But "borrowing" is wrong, so one star only.

How to be the Best Technical Writer:
If there was a subsection in the "How To" category of books called "How to be the Best" author/publisher Michael Bremer's book *Untechnical Writing* would have a true home. Chock-full of insider tips and insights, the book is testament to its author's years as a writer, editor, manager, technical guru, and all-around "computer geek" nice guy. Demystifying technical writing in itself and enlisting the reader's own intelligence and practicality, the book outlines how to not only do a technical job well but to do it in the smartest way possible. Invaluable!

Helps you to understand the process of technical writing:
I recently finished the book UnTechnical Writing by Michael Bremer. This is a quirky book for technical writers, and focuses on how to make your technical writing "readable" by untechnical people. Bremer has done a lot of writing for software such as The Sims, so he knows his craft. He also is involved in filmmaking, so you can guess he brings a lot of creativity into his writing. I liked this book a lot. The tone of the book is conversational, replete with interesting quotes related to the subject of writing. While the book isn't one that will "teach" you how to write, it will help hone your technical writing skills such that you can effectively communicate to a non-technical readership. All too often, technical writers write for other techies. This may be fine if that's the audience, but usually it's not. Another feature of this book is that it will help you understand the entire process of editing and layout. At this stage of my writing career, I can put words to paper and send it off to be "edited". That part is still a mystery to me, as well as what it takes to get a clean copy into a layout ready for publishing. After reading this book, I have a better idea of what others are doing to my original submission. Good book if you do technical writing...