HI all,
Here are some editorial guidelines we've previously had around the Magazine. We've added some new editors recently, and I don't think these have been clearly communicated elsewhere.
It's not my place to say these are "forever rules." We can decide to change them. But we need to agree on and respect a "voice" for the Magazine, so we don't confuse or put off readers with severe tonal shifts from article to article. Let's see whether we agree on these. If so, they can be included on docs.fp.o.
1. Articles in the Magazine generally don't refer to the Magazine staff or the Fedora Project ("we", "us," "our"). Neither authors nor the Magazine staff speak for all of the Fedora Project contributors. The Magazine is also not an amplifier for a specific team. RULE: Editors should rewrite sentences to eliminate "we," "us," and "our," or work with the author to do so. EXCEPTIONS: It's OK to use "we" if the specific usage is relating something about the Magazine, however -- like soliciting contribution, for example. In those cases we're speaking as a group. (Are there other reasonable exceptions?)
2. Articles in the Magazine generally don't refer to their author ("I", "me," "my"). The Magazine doesn't publish op-ed pieces[1] or personal blogs; it publishes factual help and news articles. The Magazine does not rely on personal statements from authors; it's the editors' job to check accuracy, so readers can rely on articles. RULE: Editors should rewrite sentences to eliminate "I," "me," and "my," or work with the author to do so. EXCEPTIONS: It's OK to use "I" if the article is a personal announcement, such as from the FPL. (Are there other reasonable exceptions?)
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Op-ed
On Tue, Nov 19, 2019, 14:37 Paul Frields stickster@gmail.com wrote:
HI all,
Here are some editorial guidelines we've previously had around the Magazine. We've added some new editors recently, and I don't think these have been clearly communicated elsewhere.
It's not my place to say these are "forever rules." We can decide to change them. But we need to agree on and respect a "voice" for the Magazine, so we don't confuse or put off readers with severe tonal shifts from article to article. Let's see whether we agree on these. If so, they can be included on docs.fp.o.
- Articles in the Magazine generally don't refer to the Magazine
staff or the Fedora Project ("we", "us," "our"). Neither authors nor the Magazine staff speak for all of the Fedora Project contributors. The Magazine is also not an amplifier for a specific team. RULE: Editors should rewrite sentences to eliminate "we," "us," and "our," or work with the author to do so. EXCEPTIONS: It's OK to use "we" if the specific usage is relating something about the Magazine, however -- like soliciting contribution, for example. In those cases we're speaking as a group. (Are there other reasonable exceptions?)
I find that sometime when writing tutorial the use of "we" can be relevant. For example "After installing X application we can use the Y feature do Z". But I am far from being great at writing in English so I am pretty sure the usage of "we" could be avoided here.
- Articles in the Magazine generally don't refer to their author
("I", "me," "my"). The Magazine doesn't publish op-ed pieces[1] or personal blogs; it publishes factual help and news articles. The Magazine does not rely on personal statements from authors; it's the editors' job to check accuracy, so readers can rely on articles. RULE: Editors should rewrite sentences to eliminate "I," "me," and "my," or work with the author to do so. EXCEPTIONS: It's OK to use "I" if the article is a personal announcement, such as from the FPL. (Are there other reasonable exceptions?)
Overall these guidelines looks good to me and I think it is important to have a uniform tone and style so +1 from me.
-- Paul _______________________________________________ Fedora Magazine mailing list -- magazine@lists.fedoraproject.org To unsubscribe send an email to magazine-leave@lists.fedoraproject.org Fedora Code of Conduct: https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/project/code-of-conduct/ List Guidelines: https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mailing_list_guidelines List Archives: https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/magazine@lists.fedoraproject.o...
On Tue, Nov 19, 2019 at 2:50 PM Clement Verna cverna@fedoraproject.org wrote:
On Tue, Nov 19, 2019, 14:37 Paul Frields stickster@gmail.com wrote:
- Articles in the Magazine generally don't refer to the Magazine
staff or the Fedora Project ("we", "us," "our"). Neither authors nor the Magazine staff speak for all of the Fedora Project contributors. The Magazine is also not an amplifier for a specific team. RULE: Editors should rewrite sentences to eliminate "we," "us," and "our," or work with the author to do so. EXCEPTIONS: It's OK to use "we" if the specific usage is relating something about the Magazine, however -- like soliciting contribution, for example. In those cases we're speaking as a group. (Are there other reasonable exceptions?)
I find that sometime when writing tutorial the use of "we" can be relevant. For example "After installing X application we can use the Y feature do Z". But I am far from being great at writing in English so I am pretty sure the usage of "we" could be avoided here.
In most cases like this, you can use "you" instead. Using "we" as you suggest is common in informal writing. It also implies in its tone that the reader and the author are "on the same team." It's quite friendly in that respect. However, the use of "you" is just as friendly sounding, and avoids putting an "I" in the mix -- which is helpful since the reader doesn't have you there to help or correct them, other than following the article. :-)
I feel less strongly about "we" in your example than in others, to be honest. However, I think it's better to not build too many details into guidelines; a blanket rule is easier to remember.
- Articles in the Magazine generally don't refer to their author
("I", "me," "my"). The Magazine doesn't publish op-ed pieces[1] or personal blogs; it publishes factual help and news articles. The Magazine does not rely on personal statements from authors; it's the editors' job to check accuracy, so readers can rely on articles. RULE: Editors should rewrite sentences to eliminate "I," "me," and "my," or work with the author to do so. EXCEPTIONS: It's OK to use "I" if the article is a personal announcement, such as from the FPL. (Are there other reasonable exceptions?)
Overall these guidelines looks good to me and I think it is important to have a uniform tone and style so +1 from me.
Thanks for good feedback here, Clément. I'm still interested in other perspectives. I worry about proposing things that are too strict. I'd rather have content than not! But ideally the content would also be more uniform as you pointed out.
Both of those rules make sense to me. Thanks Paul for writing those down.
I was usually dealing with "we" by switching it to "you" (the reader) as Paul suggests, or as "the ABC team" if the author refers to their team.
The "I" statements are not that easy to deal with, usually, but it's doable. Although that usually need a bigger rewrite — so making sure our writers get that right can save a lot of time.
Anyway, these are great and I'd add them to the docs if others agree.
Cheers! Adam
On Tue, Nov 19, 2019 at 9:12 PM Paul Frields stickster@gmail.com wrote:
On Tue, Nov 19, 2019 at 2:50 PM Clement Verna cverna@fedoraproject.org wrote:
On Tue, Nov 19, 2019, 14:37 Paul Frields stickster@gmail.com wrote:
- Articles in the Magazine generally don't refer to the Magazine
staff or the Fedora Project ("we", "us," "our"). Neither authors nor the Magazine staff speak for all of the Fedora Project contributors. The Magazine is also not an amplifier for a specific team. RULE: Editors should rewrite sentences to eliminate "we," "us," and "our," or work with the author to do so. EXCEPTIONS: It's OK to use "we" if the specific usage is relating something about the Magazine, however -- like soliciting contribution, for example. In those cases we're speaking as a group. (Are there other reasonable exceptions?)
I find that sometime when writing tutorial the use of "we" can be
relevant. For example "After installing X application we can use the Y feature do Z". But I am far from being great at writing in English so I am pretty sure the usage of "we" could be avoided here.
In most cases like this, you can use "you" instead. Using "we" as you suggest is common in informal writing. It also implies in its tone that the reader and the author are "on the same team." It's quite friendly in that respect. However, the use of "you" is just as friendly sounding, and avoids putting an "I" in the mix -- which is helpful since the reader doesn't have you there to help or correct them, other than following the article. :-)
I feel less strongly about "we" in your example than in others, to be honest. However, I think it's better to not build too many details into guidelines; a blanket rule is easier to remember.
- Articles in the Magazine generally don't refer to their author
("I", "me," "my"). The Magazine doesn't publish op-ed pieces[1] or personal blogs; it publishes factual help and news articles. The Magazine does not rely on personal statements from authors; it's the editors' job to check accuracy, so readers can rely on articles. RULE: Editors should rewrite sentences to eliminate "I," "me," and "my," or work with the author to do so. EXCEPTIONS: It's OK to use "I" if the article is a personal announcement, such as from the FPL. (Are there other reasonable exceptions?)
Overall these guidelines looks good to me and I think it is important to
have a uniform tone and style so +1 from me.
Thanks for good feedback here, Clément. I'm still interested in other perspectives. I worry about proposing things that are too strict. I'd rather have content than not! But ideally the content would also be more uniform as you pointed out.
-- Paul _______________________________________________ Fedora Magazine mailing list -- magazine@lists.fedoraproject.org To unsubscribe send an email to magazine-leave@lists.fedoraproject.org Fedora Code of Conduct: https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/project/code-of-conduct/ List Guidelines: https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mailing_list_guidelines List Archives: https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/magazine@lists.fedoraproject.o...
»» I find that sometime when writing tutorial the use of "we" can be relevant. For example "After installing X application we can use the Y feature do Z".
I agree with this. Saying "you" sounds too commanding, and using passive voice makes the tone boring and a bit awkward, as if the software would be spontaneously changing itself.
On Wed, 4 Dec 2019 at 11:43, Adam Samalik asamalik@redhat.com wrote:
Both of those rules make sense to me. Thanks Paul for writing those down.
I was usually dealing with "we" by switching it to "you" (the reader) as Paul suggests, or as "the ABC team" if the author refers to their team.
The "I" statements are not that easy to deal with, usually, but it's doable. Although that usually need a bigger rewrite — so making sure our writers get that right can save a lot of time.
Anyway, these are great and I'd add them to the docs if others agree.
Cheers! Adam
On Tue, Nov 19, 2019 at 9:12 PM Paul Frields stickster@gmail.com wrote:
On Tue, Nov 19, 2019 at 2:50 PM Clement Verna cverna@fedoraproject.org wrote:
On Tue, Nov 19, 2019, 14:37 Paul Frields stickster@gmail.com wrote:
- Articles in the Magazine generally don't refer to the Magazine
staff or the Fedora Project ("we", "us," "our"). Neither authors nor the Magazine staff speak for all of the Fedora Project contributors. The Magazine is also not an amplifier for a specific team. RULE: Editors should rewrite sentences to eliminate "we," "us," and "our," or work with the author to do so. EXCEPTIONS: It's OK to use "we" if the specific usage is relating something about the Magazine, however -- like soliciting contribution, for example. In those cases we're speaking as a group. (Are there other reasonable exceptions?)
I find that sometime when writing tutorial the use of "we" can be
relevant. For example "After installing X application we can use the Y feature do Z". But I am far from being great at writing in English so I
am
pretty sure the usage of "we" could be avoided here.
In most cases like this, you can use "you" instead. Using "we" as you suggest is common in informal writing. It also implies in its tone that the reader and the author are "on the same team." It's quite friendly in that respect. However, the use of "you" is just as friendly sounding, and avoids putting an "I" in the mix -- which is helpful since the reader doesn't have you there to help or correct them, other than following the article. :-)
I feel less strongly about "we" in your example than in others, to be honest. However, I think it's better to not build too many details into guidelines; a blanket rule is easier to remember.
- Articles in the Magazine generally don't refer to their author
("I", "me," "my"). The Magazine doesn't publish op-ed pieces[1] or personal blogs; it publishes factual help and news articles. The Magazine does not rely on personal statements from authors; it's the editors' job to check accuracy, so readers can rely on articles. RULE: Editors should rewrite sentences to eliminate "I," "me," and "my," or work with the author to do so. EXCEPTIONS: It's OK to use "I" if the article is a personal announcement, such as from the FPL. (Are there other reasonable exceptions?)
Overall these guidelines looks good to me and I think it is important
to
have a uniform tone and style so +1 from me.
Thanks for good feedback here, Clément. I'm still interested in other perspectives. I worry about proposing things that are too strict. I'd rather have content than not! But ideally the content would also be more uniform as you pointed out.
-- Paul _______________________________________________ Fedora Magazine mailing list -- magazine@lists.fedoraproject.org To unsubscribe send an email to magazine-leave@lists.fedoraproject.org Fedora Code of Conduct: https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/project/code-of-conduct/ List Guidelines: https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mailing_list_guidelines List Archives:
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/magazine@lists.fedoraproject.o...
--
Adam Šamalík
Senior Software Engineer Red Hat _______________________________________________ Fedora Magazine mailing list -- magazine@lists.fedoraproject.org To unsubscribe send an email to magazine-leave@lists.fedoraproject.org Fedora Code of Conduct: https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/project/code-of-conduct/ List Guidelines: https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mailing_list_guidelines List Archives: https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/magazine@lists.fedoraproject.o...
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