I have a headache...Kilian. CH.5

Thanks for your feedback, Jessica. I picked a book that had a lot of introductory material, in part because some students will be starting their new media journalism major without ever having taken a journalism class, so I thought a book like this would do a good job introducing the issues that you already know well.

I think you'll find that Krug's book goes into more detail in an area of online communication that you probably didn't get in high school -- but even then, a lot of usability testing is common sense, if you've got a lot of that, even that book will sound like a review.

Keep at it, Jessica. I hope you'll share your feedback with the class, since different students are finding different chapters to be useful to different degrees.

Wow. This was ... quite harsh. But I'm right there with you right now. I had a similar reaction to this chapter, just not as violent =]

Unlike you, I did not take journalism in high school. But I was a third grader once. There, I learned to capitalize and to proofread.

I feel that I'm being retaught many concepts I learned early on. I suppose it is a good review but I was not expecting a review of basic concepts I already understand. I was hoping to learn to "create dynamic sites that readers will bookmark" just as the front of the book suggests.

As I was writing the entry, I realized that I was being a bit harsh...but I figured it's always better to be blunt than to sugar-coat things. It is a great review, but I don't think he really needs to go so in depth with the material. This chapter was over 25 pages long...He spent THREE paragraphs talking about not trusting a spell checker...I guess this just goes back to what my old AP English teacher used to say: "Show, don't tell." Too bad Kilian never had Mr. Goimarac for class...

ps. Dr. Jerz, I meant no disrespect. I was merely being honest with my reaction to the reading.

I appreciate your frankness also, Jessie. I'll bear your comments in mind as I go to work on the fourth edition of Writing for the Web.

When we encounter information that we already consider exformation ("Hey, I learned this in high school!"), we can feel pretty unhappy about it, as if the writer (or teacher) considers us pretty dumb.

In my own experience as a college teacher (41 years, but who's counting?), I encountered many, many students who didn't get even basic English in high school, and who did trust their spellcheckers. I also encountered mature students who'd been well trained long ago, but needed the reminder and the encouragement.

So in trying to ensure that every reader gets some exposure to the principles I think important in webwriting, I know I'm going to tell some readers what they already know. And one thing I've learned from almost 50 years of writing is that you never learn all there is to know about the craft.

An editor once turned down a novel of mine because, she said, "He's telling, not showing." I knew that principle already (I thought), but it took the editor's reminder to force me to confront what I'd failed to do. I rewrote the novel and sold it (not to the same editor--she bought a bunch of my later novels, though). I'll consider your comments in the same light, as inviting me to reconsider what I thought I knew.

So thanks again for your comments (and for framing them in a very elegant blog), and best of luck in your writing career.

Cheers,
Crawford