Reinventing Technical Writing with Dan Gookin! 🧨
If you have recently read or watched something technical that was well done and easy to understand, you have Dan Gookin to thank for this.
Hi, everybody - in my latest podcast interview, I chat with the legendary Dan Gookin. Besides being a prolific author (100 books and counting), Dan is also the originator of the For Dummies series of books that are synonymous with friendly, approachable technical content. You can watch my full chat below:
You can also listen/watch it on the various podcasting platforms by going to this summary thread.
Making Technical Writing Friendly and Approachable
Today, we are used to technical content being very viewer/reader-friendly. The content authors seem to really care about the topic. The content they create is engaging. As a consumer of the content, you are left feeling better informed and able to tackle the next big thing. That is not how technical content used to be.
In the late 80’s and early 90’s, technical content, even those geared for beginners, was very dry and dense. The authors seemed to take inspiration from bad academic writing where the reader should feel grateful that the content creator took time from their important and busy lives to educate them:
This is where Dan comes in. Dan decided to change this status quo. He had the (then very) radical idea to make technical content fun and playful. He strongly believed that it is possible to explain complicated technical topics in a way that even the most beginner of learners can easily understand. That’s where the idea for the For Dummies series of books was born.
Dan wrote DOS for Dummies, the very first book in the For Dummies catalog. From that point onwards, combined with the timely consumerization of computers, Dan helped spawn one of the most enduring and recognizable book series ever created - covering a wide range of technical and non-technical topics:
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During our chat, Dan and I cover a wide range of topics. We spend a lot of time geeking out on technical writing, how technology has changed publishing, obscure old-school computer references that a few of you will get, and a whole lot more! You’ll definitely enjoy our banter, so take an hour out of your day (or commute) and listen to this.
Till Next Time
Dan’s earliest writings had a singularly huge influence on my writing style. If you ever wondered where the random jokes and ultra-casual explanation found in my writings come from, you have Dan to thank…or blame! 😅
To discuss this further, feel free to continue the conversation on my Twitter / X post on this or on the forums.
Cheers,
Kirupa 😀