Writing for Technological Instructions?
When I speak of this topic, there is an example I saw, but I'll refrain from using direct names, as this might be interpreted as a bit critical. Although more than anything, I'm simply a bit confused - if not curious.
I perused the random search for Bear blogs, when I stumbled onto a post that interested me by title alone. Someone wanting to improve their writing! I clicked, wondering what I might get to peek at.
The post was short and sweet. Just someone talking about how they'd like to write quickly and teresely. A small paragraph. Oh! - I thought to myself - I'm excited to see what this person has been writing since!
I was kinda shocked when I went to check on their other posts... Oh, I thought...
Huh?
This is... A lot of technology-centric stuff. A lot of which looked like they'd be instructions. My expectations were immediately challenged, more than I really anticipated as someone who loves writing in longform, shortform, free flow, essay format, rhyme schemes... This was definitely not quite anything I'm used to "reading."
But I never really considered how technical instructions might be its own form of writing. I mean, you do see the memes about cooking recipes, and how some people use sharing their personal recipe as a medium to share something intimate about themselves with others. But I noted that nothing too personal was to be found here.
I hesitantly clicked on the instructions meant to improve your wifi connection on a Mac.
Well... It's definitely instructions. Maybe with the smallest bit of personal flair? It'd certainly be helpful if I was a Mac user who might be annoyed about a slow internet connection.
I found the end of the brief instructions - how to validate that you had properly switched to 6GHz - was unintentionally funny to me. This person gave out some specifics on how to visually check the properties of your network. I found myself wondering...
Couldn't you just try watching a Youtube video?
You very quickly see a difference in speed and quality, I imagined. But of course, if you want to do things a proper way, you'll want to get concrete confirmation via concrete information.
It's just an interesting consideration... That something I percieve as dry and straightforward is what someone else considers to be writing.
I continued.
Some posts simply credit others, and link back to advice and instructions from reddit or websites with way too many pop-ups.
I did find a couple of posts that looked like actual pieces of this person's personal views and life. Quick and terse definitely describes it. It was like looking in on the mind of a minimalist.
I skimmed through this blog. The writing post was the 2nd post this person had made...
I wonder, has their writing improved this way? I'm not really sure but... I suppose if this is what makes someone out there happy, then that should really be enough.
Right?