Writing for New Media : The Essential Guide to Writing for Interactive Media, CD-ROMs, and the Web (Wiley Books for Writers Series)

Rating:
Summary: Maybe not as essential as originally planned...
Review: I read this book for a Writing for Multimedia class, and I can't say I was either elated or disgusted by it. Yes, I agree with other writers in that the language was quite simplistic, yet also quite repetetive. It definitely did a good job as an introduction to writing for multimedia, but I would not call it an essential resource.

Rating:
Summary: Good as an introduction, but not concise enough
Review: This book is a little too brief if you are really writing for the new media. I feel it is good as an introduction for new-comers in this area. Many of the examples given and subjects touched on are very general terms that every writer for the new media should already know. Benefits of this book are that it is easy to read, clearly illustrated with screen captures to support explanations of the terms and a clear presentation. I have two other books to recommend though: 1. Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications by Microsoft Press (of course), and 2. Developing Quality Technical Information : A Handbook for Writers and Editors by Gretchen Hargis. Check them out!

Rating:
Summary: Too Simplistic, Unfortunately
Review: This book may be useful to someone who either: (1) has no experience using the Internet or CD-ROMs; or (2) has no access to free Internet articles about writing for the Web. For everybody else, spend your money on something else. So much of what's written here is elementary and common sense! (For example, hyperlinks are explained at least 3 times.) Perhaps this book was timely in 1998 but it's just ho-hum now. You'll find better information by searching the Internet for the latest in this subject; the Internet articles go more into depth and are much more insightful. (E.g., see Jacob Nielson's Alertbox for October 1, 1997, [...] this article says more about Web writing than the entire Writing for New Media book, and interestingly, was printed before the Writing for New Media book was even published). Crawford Kilian's Writing for the Web book is a better read than this elementary book too. I only wish I would have discovered how simplistic the Writing for New Media book was before Amazon's 30-day return period had expired....