Monday’s book planning tip for authors
Jenifer Tidwell’s Designing Interfaces: Patterns for Effective Interaction Design offers a valuable case study showing how authors can save time by using patterns to plan and write their books.
What are patterns?
Patterns is an information architecture term used to describe best practices for sharing or understanding information. Patterns describe underlying common behaviors or structures, rather than specific details.
Web designers, for example, use patterns to explain visitor behavior and expectations, such as how a website, or software program, is expected to behave when a command is executed, or the best ways to help first-time website visitors quickly locate desired information.
Patterns at work planning and writing books
Patterns are important, because once an author has established a pattern, or structure, for presenting the information in each chapter has been identified, it becomes much easier to write the book!
Once a chapter structure has been established, the book practically writes itself!
There’s often an almost transparent obviousness to successful patterns that camouflage the sophistication of the underlying structure.
For example, here’s the pattern that Jenifer Tidwell uses to describe each of the interface patterns in each chapter of her Designing Interfaces:
- What. In most chapters, this consists of a 2 or 3 sentence description of the pattern being discussed.
- Use when. The pattern description is followed by a section identifying the situation, or symptoms, when using the pattern makes the most sense.
- Why. What are the benefits of using the specific pattern?
- How. What are the best ways to apply, or implement, the specific pattern?
- Examples. The last section shows the pattern in action under different circumstances.
Seeing is believing; patterns at work
The best way to appreciate how patterns can help you save time planning and writing your book is to visit the book’s website, Designing Interfaces. When you get there, click on a few links, for example:
Author and reader benefits
Notice how quickly you got used to the structure, or way the information was presented…and how quickly you were able to read and understand the details associated with each pattern.
Even though the topic of designing interfacesis a complex one, the pattern used to organize each chapter made it easy to understand the details associated with each topic.
In addition, the pattern provided structure, but did not limit the amount or type of information provided. The author could write as much, or as little, as necessary to communicate their point. The information could be communicated as either text or graphics, depending on which was most useful.
The pattern also makes a book easier to write by eliminating the need to be “creative” or “inspired.” The pattern organizing each chapter provides a process and a discipline that encourages clutter-free, straightforward writing without the “What should I write now?” stress associated with a blank screen.
Jenifer Tidwell’s Designing Interfaces is First Class well-produced book that, once purchased, is likely to remain in an author’s library for many years. Special thanks to Published & Profitable member Mark Joyce for recommending Designing Interfaces to me!
Designing Interfaces may be your first information architecture book, but it will continue to influence your thinking and help you save time planning, as well as writing and promoting, your books for many years. To learn more, visit the author’s website and my comments.
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