To write and publish something small, say just a few pages

[symbolipoint]

Where does the training and learning come from, for example to write and publish something small, like a educational document (meant as instruction, maybe), or recipes (food prep. at home) which could be from about 10 to 30 pages? Does this come from Library Science, Journalism, language & Literature graduates? The broad goal would not really be to sell much or make money, but just to write and publish useful material.

These questions come from thinking through the forum discussion, https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/science-journal-style.1014089/ .

 

[Astronuc]

Where does the training and learning come from, for example to write and publish something small, like a educational document (meant as instruction, maybe), or recipes (food prep. at home) which could be from about 10 to 30 pages? Does this come from Library Science, Journalism, language & Literature graduates? The broad goal would not really be to sell much or make money, but just to write and publish useful material.

At the university I attended for an engineering program, there was a requirement to take at least one semester of Technical Writing, which may be in the English department or perhaps Engineering. I believe many state universities have this requirement as part of an engineering program and maybe STEM in general, but I haven't looked at many programs recently.

Here's one example from Cornell, which offers several courses given the complexities of the Digital Age, and it is way more elaborate than when I was at university 40+ years ago.
https://www.engineering.cornell.edu.../engineering-communications-program/technical

Another example from University of Iowa
https://english.uiowa.edu/undergraduate-program/career-planning/engineering-technical-writing

Rutgers U
https://wp.rutgers.edu/academics/undergraduate/courses/151-322

U of Wisconsin
https://tc.engr.wisc.edu/

Standford
https://engineering.stanford.edu/students-academics/technical-communication-program

When I was in university (pre-Internet), the options were more limited. It appears that there are now entire programs on Technical Communication.

 

[StevieTNZ]

I have taken this course as part of my Bachelor of Science in IT - https://www.massey.ac.nz/study/courses/written-communication-for-information-sciences-247177/

 

[jtbell]

If you publish it yourself (e.g. on your own web site), in principle you can write and format it any way you like, subject to your own technical knowledge of publishing (e.g. how to format a web site).

If you rely on someone else to publish it for you, you need to follow their instructions / guidelines.

This relates to the technical aspects of publishing, in whatever medium; not the content-related aspects (how to write your material effectively so that others can hopefully understand it).

 

[diogenesNY]

I would very very enthusiastically recommend the book: _On Writing Well, 30th Anniversary Edition: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction_ by William Zinsser.

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31151879470&searchurl=ds=20&kn=on+writing+well+william+zinsser+30th+anniversary+edition&sortby=17&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp1-_-title1I read this first in high school (back in the Bronze Age) and several times (in updated editions) subsequently. It is not only brilliant and instructive, but it is a very enjoyable read, as befits a book on good writing. Zinssner is not only directly instructive but also cites and excerpts many examples of good writing with very descriptive critiques. The last time I read _On Writing Well..._ I made a bibliography of all his citations and went and read all of the books noted. Particular favorite authors in this list included Joan Didion and E.B. White.

It is not a long or heavy book, and I would personally recommend approaching it in the following way (as I did most recently):

Read it three times.

First time: just blow through it. It is a fun and enjoyable book and a joy to read. Pay attention to what it says, but don't get stalled or bogged down. Enjoy it. You will be through it before you know it, and will be left wanting a sequel.

Second time: Have a clean notebook and a pen on hand and take careful notes. They will most likely suggest themselves.

Third time: Read it through again and enjoy it, but this time write the names of all the cited authors and books that he excerpts and uses as examples. You now have a reading list of excellently crafted writing, almost all of which are very enjoyable to read and make excellent examples of quality writing.

Zinsser is a proponent of clear, concise and lucid expository prose. This is something I find woefully lacking in technical, business and academic writing. His guidance will make you a better writer, and you will be vitally aware of how and why.

--diogenesNY

 

[hutchphd]

and E.B. White.

And of course Elements of Style by Strunk and White needs to be on your desk. I stand in awe of E B White for clarity of prose.

 

[StevieTNZ]

I would very very enthusiastically recommend the book: _On Writing Well, 30th Anniversary Edition: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction_ by William Zinsser.

Thanks for suggesting this book! I've ordered it and currently it is on its way to me from the UK.

 

[Mark44]

Where does the training and learning come from, for example to write and publish something small, like a educational document (meant as instruction, maybe), or recipes (food prep. at home) which could be from about 10 to 30 pages?

Unlike some of the others who have posted in this thread, a Technical Writing course was not part of my course studies. Nevertheless, after teaching in a community college for 18 years, I changed directions and started a new career as a Programming Writer (a kind of technical writer, but where the documentation I wrote was aimed at developers rather than end users). I did this work for 15 years. Much of how I learned my craft came from reading what others had written and determining what I liked or disliked about their styles. I've also been an avid reader all of my life, so that was helpful as well.

BTW, it is seldom that a food recipe is "10 to 30 pages" long.

Does this come from Library Science, Journalism, language & Literature graduates? The broad goal would not really be to sell much or make money, but just to write and publish useful material.

No on Library Science, and probably no on language & Literature, IMO, although one should have a basic understanding of how to put together grammatical sentences. A background in journalism might be somewhat helpful in how to structure your writing, but a significant part of what you write comes from expert knowledge about your chosen subject, even more so if your intent is to publish useful material.

 

[berkeman]

I would very very enthusiastically recommend the book: _On Writing Well, 30th Anniversary Edition: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction_ by William Zinsser.

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31151879470&searchurl=ds=20&kn=on+writing+well+william+zinsser+30th+anniversary+edition&sortby=17&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp1-_-title1

Ordered from Amazon. Thanks!

 

[TeethWhitener]

I would very very enthusiastically recommend the book: _On Writing Well, 30th Anniversary Edition: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction_ by William Zinsser.

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31151879470&searchurl=ds=20&kn=on+writing+well+william+zinsser+30th+anniversary+edition&sortby=17&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp1-_-title1I read this first in high school (back in the Bronze Age) and several times (in updated editions) subsequently. It is not only brilliant and instructive, but it is a very enjoyable read, as befits a book on good writing. Zinssner is not only directly instructive but also cites and excerpts many examples of good writing with very descriptive critiques. The last time I read _On Writing Well..._ I made a bibliography of all his citations and went and read all of the books noted. Particular favorite authors in this list included Joan Didion and E.B. White.

It is not a long or heavy book, and I would personally recommend approaching it in the following way (as I did most recently):

Read it three times.

First time: just blow through it. It is a fun and enjoyable book and a joy to read. Pay attention to what it says, but don't get stalled or bogged down. Enjoy it. You will be through it before you know it, and will be left wanting a sequel.

Second time: Have a clean notebook and a pen on hand and take careful notes. They will most likely suggest themselves.

Third time: Read it through again and enjoy it, but this time write the names of all the cited authors and books that he excerpts and uses as examples. You now have a reading list of excellently crafted writing, almost all of which are very enjoyable to read and make excellent examples of quality writing.

Zinsser is a proponent of clear, concise and lucid expository prose. This is something I find woefully lacking in technical, business and academic writing. His guidance will make you a better writer, and you will be vitally aware of how and why.

--diogenesNY

Second. It’s a classic.

 

[Jarvis323]

The course I took was called Technical Writing, and the textbook was called "A Strategic Guide To Technical Communication".

https://books.google.com/books?id=uB-QtADevzMC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

The course was a writing course offered in the English department, but was less about the writing in the sense that other English courses are, and more about the effective communication part. The instructor had been a technical writer at CERN.

 

[BillTre]

I have done a lot of writing but not taken a course in writing.
Spell checkers are a great thing for me. That's the main reason a got a computer to write my thesis on.

Writing different kinds of things (of course) are done in particular styles.
One I found interesting was writing SOPs, which I had to do when running a fish facility.
There are several styles of this, but I finally found a book that I really liked.
They were short with pictures. The book was produced by people who figured out simple direct ways to give complex instructions. Their model was to have step by step instructions with numbers or letters pointing to parts in a line drawing, to identify particular parts Their example was teaching people with a high school education to reliably service things like helicopters.

I would provide a reference, but I am on the opposite side of the country from the book right now.

 

[diogenesNY]

Thanks for suggesting this book! I've ordered it and currently it is on its way to me from the UK.

You will enjoy it! I await your review.

--diogenesNY

 

[berkeman]

I would very very enthusiastically recommend the book: _On Writing Well, 30th Anniversary Edition: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction_ by William Zinsser.

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31151879470&searchurl=ds=20&kn=on+writing+well+william+zinsser+30th+anniversary+edition&sortby=17&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp1-_-title1I read this first in high school (back in the Bronze Age) and several times (in updated editions) subsequently. It is not only brilliant and instructive, but it is a very enjoyable read, as befits a book on good writing. Zinssner is not only directly instructive but also cites and excerpts many examples of good writing with very descriptive critiques. The last time I read _On Writing Well..._ I made a bibliography of all his citations and went and read all of the books noted. Particular favorite authors in this list included Joan Didion and E.B. White.

Ordered from Amazon. Thanks!

Thanks for suggesting this book! I've ordered it and currently it is on its way to me from the UK.

You will enjoy it! I await your review.

--diogenesNY

I guess I'm getting impatient in my old age. "Too many notes" is my review. I've only read the first couple of chapters, but there are way too many words IMO to explain the concepts he wants to convey. In fact, there are so many extra sentences and words that I honestly have little idea what he is trying to say. Sigh.

Is there a Cliff Notes version of this book? I have the feeling that there are some jems in there, but I work 6-7 days a week, and don't have time to read through the verbose stuff.

 

[mathwonk]

Maybe you would prefer The Elements of Style, by Strunk-White. It is 100 pages as opposed to this one at 300 pages.