Writing Style

[electrosteam]

I have a comment, not a criticism, to make on writing style in the ME and MEW.

In the last ME to my hand from a newsagent in Sydney, # 4358 14Aug09, David uses first person in his article "Beginners Start Here".

I wonder if David could comment on the use of first person by writers when describing how a particular task was accomplished.

In my view, the first person approach in technical writing is not the best way.
In nearly all cases, the text could be reconstructed in the third person.

I put pen to paper (finger to keyboard) only because the use of first person in American hobby technical articles with constant repetitive use of "I" does grate.
It could be the same approach is creeping into the UK.

Just wondering if anyone else has the same view ?

This comment is first person because it is a direct statement of my personal view with a question.
Happy machining,
John.

[peterseager]

Right from secondary school days we were taught to write up the results of experiments in the third person. Professionally, proposals and reports were always written third person. If you did not write it that way, an editor would change it. So I guess we have become used to it and because of this I too have noticed mags often use first person. Can't say I have a problem with it and it makes for a more personal connection with the author, not the tone for industry but fine for a hobby. After all, most mag authors are describing their particular way of proceeding. They are not defining a company's approach, followed by all and checked and changed by all before it is issued.

Peter

[russell]

I to was taught to use the third person in technical writing. It does then allow the use of the first person to give emphasis occasionally, as in "I did it this way" implying personal choice as opposed to the normal way of doing it.

Having said that we all have our own style and some of the old rules are unnecessarily restrictive. For example, "thou shall not split infinitives". Now we can all boldly go!

Russell.

[kwil]

Writing in the third person is not the way if, you are trying to show the reader, who may or may not be completely au fait with the subject, how it was done. Think of yourself as a teacher, explaining the complete exercise of how you did it and how perhaps the reader could do it, with asides to cover the alternative approaches that may be made.

[baggo]

When writing my website I usually write in the first person because I'm describing the way that I have done something rather than describing the 'correct' way to do it. I try and make it a 'personal' account with the hope that it will be of help to others. However, if I were to write an article for ME for example I probably would change to the third person. After reading the orignal posting I looked back at the last couple of website pages I had written and it would not be difficult to change it to third person and make it suitable for a 'technical' publication

John

[drjohn]

'scuse my ignorance - there's me, there's you, but who's the third one - the Holy Ghost? ;D

DJ

[russell]

DJ,
In my workshop it must be the gremlin who nicks the tool I have just put down and now cannot find!

Russell.

[drjohn]

Nov 6, 2009 9:21:22 GMT russell said:

DJ,
In my workshop it must be the gremlin who nicks the tool I have just put down and now cannot find!

Russell.

You got one of them too Russell - I thought it was only Philippine Dwindies that stole tools! ;D

[havoc]

Is it the third person singular or plural? That might be interesting as well. Maybe the writer is shizophrenic?

[Deleted]

Nov 7, 2009 20:52:08 GMT @havoc said:

Is it the third person singular or plural? That might be interesting as well. Maybe the writer is shizophrenic?

I was going to answer this in the first person singular, as I usually do when I write reports, but I'm in two minds about it......
JB

[Tel]

Nov 6, 2009 7:20:02 GMT drjohn said:

'scuse my ignorance - there's me, there's you, but who's the third one - the Holy Ghost? ;D

DJ

You, Me and 'im, or 'er, but not ER, who is WE.

First person writing is fine, depending on the style. In describing an operation that you have done, referring to one's self in the third person can come over as rather pretentious.

[ettingtonliam]

I know how it should be done professionaly/commercially, but for a hobby magazine, does the style actually matter?

Richard

[johnstevo]

If you are reading a practical article with a view to picking up faults on grammar and layout then the article isn't interesting enough for you .

Don't think about taking up knitting because the pattern isn't even in English but some form of Irish shorthand.

John S.

[Nigel Bennett]

A lot of stuff is written in the imperative - do this, do that, part off this length. In an article what I wrote recently (not yet published) I wrote it in various styles - personal where I was explaining the raison d'etre of the thing, passive and imperative as appropriate, plus various sprinklings of first person where I describe the goofs I made when making it.
Provided an article explains lucidly how something is done, I don't have a problem with it. Better a "grating first person" than no article at all!

[Alan]

Why not get our present PM to offer his advice on how to construct letters !!!

[goldstar31]

Nov 20, 2009 15:43:04 GMT Alan said:

Why not get our present PM to offer his advice on how to construct letters !!!

A cursive hand? Aye, there's the rub.

GS31

Curse-ive hand--- Eye, there's the rub.

[electrosteam]

Reply to Nigel Bennett,

Well said.

I just hope that in future, if advice is requested from prospective authors, Nigel's post is referenced by the editor and the forum members.

I could also mention that Dave Fenner generally gets the mix right, see MEW #154 "A Dividing Head for the Mini Lathe - 2".

Happy machining,
John.

[Staffordshirechina]

Maybe we should start.......... Mai husband and Eye........

Most things are OK until you get things written in textspeak like some forums!

Les