Writing a technical manual is a constant case of beginning, again.
With the aim of taking information that is detailed, precise (in some cases), far reaching (in other cases), linear (at times) and non-linear (at other times), editing, over and over and over again is not just necessary but imperative.
The choice of which word, turn of phrase or placement of photo or diagram can either illuminate or obfuscate.
As I write, edit, get my alpha reader to read and suggest, then edit, polish and attempt to clarify, it is becoming ever more clear to me that my target audience is not the beginning weaver, as in this is not a how to learn how to weave, but a how to weave better for the weaver who wants to understand the craft at a deeper level.
What I desire is to explain how the craft works in its non-linear aspects. Why the short answer to almost every question related to the development of cloth is either 'it depends' or 'sample, sample, sample'.
Will I succeed? Only time will tell.
I am at 100+ pages and still so much more to do.
It is daunting and, at times, overwhelming...
7 comments:
...but (speaking as someone whose book has just come into the world) oh so satisfying, especially in the end... :-)
Kerstin always says it is sooo much better to say "I have done" instead of "I will do"! :)
Congrats on the book. Hope you are having a fabulous time with it.
I look forward to being one of the recipients of this book Laura, no matter the time it takes. Rest assured that you've already "sold one"!!! :)
To quote Winston Churchill: "Writing a book is an adventure. To begin with, it is a toy and an amusement; then it becomes a mistress, and then it becomes a master, and then a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster, and fling him out to the public.”
Oh, that's a great quote! :D
Are you in the tyrant phase? I ran across the quote while working on mine (a textbook), and it rang true for me.
Oh my yes, tyrant!
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