Game on: instructional writing

I’ve got into a habit of writing a round-up piece at the end of the month. Because I’m on catch-up, fitting in posts to dates after the event (confessions, eh?), I thought I’d slot one in mid-month instead. For a change.

There’s a whole load of instructional writing out there on the web. I’ve read a fair amount in the last few months, and I’m sure I’m not even starting to scratch the surface.

In the world of web, part of what makes sites good, from a user’s point of view (or at least it’s thought), is having something you can take away from reading a blog post. You don’t just want to read it – you want to be able to do something afterwards.

There is of course the video option as well, but as I’m not even really using photos in the blog at the moment, let’s just say that video is a step far too far for now. (Plus I’m interested in writing, not in learning how to make videos.  At least, not at this time.)

I started this month’s posts on games, partly because I’d reorganised my list of categories when starting to revamp the blog.  I had discovered that I had a category – games – which I was surprised to have. (You’ll have to read the post at the start of the month to see why the Sore Loser avoided games for so long.)

Writing, reading, food – no problem. Lots of posts. Why not rebalance things a little for the other categories? So I started writing. And discovered that this was just as much an exercise in writing – this time, in instructional writing.

We’ve all come across instructions that didn’t make sense. Trying to get your words right, so that people can follow the actions and come out with a finished product, is a hard job.

I’m not trying to do that, exactly, but I am trying to give you a sense of how a game unfolds. I’m also bearing in mind that no two game sessions are the same (even if it feels like they are, sometimes, playing Snap for the umpteenth time).

All of this is to say that it’s been a good challenge to try some instructional writing.  I’m not off to tell you how to make a lampshade any time soon (though Dan has been viewing a few posts and videos to see how it’s done), but I might do a little more food writing one day, and it might just help.

And part of the point, for me, is flexing my writing muscles.  Going in a particular direction, facing a writing challenge (or opportunity), and keeping going.

Every month I write, I find that things shift, usually around 10 days in.  My original reasons for writing about that topic may have been used up.

What is left is perhaps the real reason for writing that month: where the topic leads me. What I learn along the way. Trying on different writing styles is just part of that learning, at least for now.

Some blogs have very clear topics – even, just one.  I am still trying to find that topic – or at least, narrow down to a few.

Yet, while rolling out these posts, and finding a whole lot of memories along the way, I realise that, for now, I want to write broad, rather than narrow.

So if you’re sticking around for the ride – welcome.  I don’t quite know what’s coming next either.  But that’s OK too. Because I’m sure there’ll be some words to use, when it does.