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Fred Hone has some questions to those that prepare product
| instructional literature for the gerneral public on
| the list.
|
| Are there any specific rules that you follow when
| writing such literature and why?
1. Keep It Simple -- the sad fact of life is that many users cannot read above the eighth grade level.
2. Talk to the reader. Have a conversation with her/him. Anticipate questions and answer them. Leave the academic baloney in the old ivory tower. "You" is a good pronoun.
3. Active voice is good. Tell them what they want/need to know. Don't quibble, be clear and concise.
My $0.02
John Gilger
Senior Technical Writer
Acres Gaming, Inc.
Las Vegas, Nevada
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