Every day people search the internet to learn how to do something and there are many tutorials to answer their questions. However, they may not always find the actual answer they are looking for due to certain issues with the tutorial itself. Perhaps it is not clear to them or it is too complicated.
I have personally read and written many beginner’s guides, articles, and tutorials over the years on a variety of topics, and have discovered ways to improve my own teachings, which I want to share with you.
FOCUS ONLY ON WHAT YOU NEED TO SAY
Imagine that you are having a conversation with someone. Do they talk non-stop about nothing or get to the point? If they say a lot of unnecessary things and repeat them often, you may only half listen or even tune out. When people read your tutorial, they’re looking for an answer to their question, they’re not willing to read a bunch of what they consider nonsense nonsense.
Therefore, when editing your tutorial, focus only on what you need to say and remove anything that doesn’t really contribute anything.
AVOID INFORMATION OVERLOAD
Who really reads the fine print or terms and conditions that seem to read like an oversized novel, written by someone who likes to brag because they know a lot of long words? People automatically turn off when presented with too much information at once. I personally have a hard time remembering too many instructions at once. Give me directions somewhere and my memory starts to decline after the first four.
It’s best to present your information in smaller paragraphs and focus on one thing at a time. If you have a lot to say, you may consider dividing your tutorial into sections, ie: Part 1, Part 2, etc.
Therefore, put yourself in the beginner’s mind. If you wanted to learn something, how would you like the information to be presented to you? Use bold headings to explain what the next paragraph or section is about, and avoid using unfamiliar terms that the beginner might not understand at this point.
NEVER SPONSOR YOUR READERS
This may seem obvious, but it is something you should always keep in mind. A few years ago I sent a programming question to someone in a magazine and the first part of the answer he printed was this: “Although the example in the manual is clear enough, I’ll give you another example.” I found this insulting. Maybe it was clear to him, but not to me as I wouldn’t have written to him in the first place.
Some people feel that if someone doesn’t understand them, then that person is dumb and deserves to be patronized. Some people get angry if someone doesn’t understand what is being explained to them. It is important to remember that people have different learning speeds and abilities. If you find that you are someone who has a bad attitude towards people, then it may show in your writing.
Therefore, you should focus on helping the person understand instead of lashing out because you think they said something obvious or stupid. Some people look dumb, but they don’t necessarily do it on purpose. If they don’t understand something, reassure them that you are not a threat to them, that you are trying to help them.
CONCLUSION
Understanding people’s needs and being patient with them can help you become a better mentor. Listen to their feedback and learn from it to improve your writing.