The training manual is kicking my arse! Progression is slow, words are elusive and my general fear that I am really not up to this task has brought the manual to a grinding halt. Hours are spent contemplating what I should write next. More hours are spent pondering how I can make everything flow, so that the information is not fed to the reader as a series of unrelated points, bashing into each other to form some misshapen mountain, but as lines of thought gently flowing into a river of pertinent information. Hours are gone. Minutes are lost. Seconds bring little puffs of insight. But here I still sit with nothing left to write. Need some inspiration and a good cup of coffee. Anyone got some to spare?
Posted by munin at Marzo 12, 2003 10:19 AMNo good coffee from here, eventhough I'm close to the Sumatra region. Sounds like u need some relaxation. HUGIN! She needs a massage!!!
Posted by: Awe-C-Boy on Marzo 12, 2003 10:55 AMhi munin,
sorry I haven't been around lately but you're welcome to coffee, we have plenty today!
thanks for all of your *sQUishiness*
If you have the luxury of time (or if you're just going to spend the time being blocked and writing nothing anyway) then maybe while you're trying to write the manual, you could just write everything that comes into your head whether it's manual-related or not... "they" say that helps to release a block.
I don't know whether you're working at home today, so I don't know whether that's actually feasible advice... but at any rate, whether you deem it useful or no, please accept this advice as a token of my sincerest wishes on your behalf for you to unblock and receive your desired inspiration. :)
Posted by: edgar mousehat on Marzo 12, 2003 01:21 PMYou could write whatever you want because no-one reads manuals. Or better yet, write it in some rarely used foriegn language. Coffee sounds good...
Posted by: guruvious on Marzo 13, 2003 07:15 AM*passing you coffee and pondering the never-ending question of, "exactlly how dense do I assume the people reading this manual will be...?"*
Posted by: Daphne on Marzo 13, 2003 09:16 AMLaurie don't worry about ot having been around. I have been the same over the past few days. *squish* thanks for the offer of coffee. mmm. nummy! :o)
Ed I wish... no, not much time left for this part of the manual. I am trying to get the rough out by monday and the final copy out by mid next week.... aaaaaahhhhh. So not happening! Thanks for the advice dear friend, will try using it next time. *hugs*
Posted by: munin on Marzo 13, 2003 08:19 PMG If only! No this manual is read from front to back and then taken back to the office so it can become some sort of shrine like reference manual. There aren't many books out there, so any written material on the software is almost gold like. No I am not making this up. You should see the training manual I learnt from, its dog-eared and grimey. Which makes this all the more frightening. People are going to use the tripe I am writing as reference. GAH! I think I feel faint.
..as for the foriegn language, there exist in this office a manual that was written in two languages...the languages are intermixed. you start of in one and finish in the other.
Posted by: munin on Marzo 13, 2003 08:25 PMDaphne Thank you so much! *squish*
"exactlly how dense do I assume the people reading this manual will be...?"* it's pretty amazing how dense people can get. It's almost like they leave their brains at the door when they enter a training room.
Posted by: munin on Marzo 13, 2003 08:27 PM