Sometimes you just can’t get around it. Learning to use certain technologies involves some boring work. Remembering the various data types or variable naming conventions is dull, dull, dull.

But overall, very few technical topics have to be boring. The power to make books less boring lies with the author. Here are some ways to stamp out boring in your technical books:

• Put a lot of info into the headings. Think of headings as “headlines” – a quick, clear summary of the text and other content that follows.

• Use a lot of headings. At least one per page. The more there are, and the more meaning they carry, the easier it is for readers to skip bits they already know.

• Avoid great long chunks of text. Avoid great long chunks of code. Avoid great chunks of anything.

• Use humour but not too much.

• Think of fun examples. Don’t tell the reader to do anything that you wouldn’t do yourself.

• Raise problems then solve them. We find information interesting when we can solve problems with it. We find it boring if all we are supposed to do is read and memorise. Asking a question, “how can we…?” is a simple way to raise a problem, but an effective one.

• Show readers how to build cool stuff. And include lots of pictures and descriptions that show just how cool this stuff is.

• A reader should be able to tell immediately what any page is about. Without reading the text properly. A glance at the headings, images, and other obvious stand-out stuff should make it clear what the point of the page is.

• Avoid history. The most boring books ever written all contain the phrase, “When Tim Berners-Lee invented the world wide web…”.

• Have adventures. Don’t just tell the reader about the technology. Take them on adventures with it. Adventures are often challenging, but have a clear goal and are satisfying when you succeed.

• Enjoy talking to the reader. Imagine yourself sitting down next to the reader as they sit in front of the computer. Say the sort of things you’d say if you were training 1 on 1.

• The question in a reader’s head is “why and when would I ever want to do this?” If they can’t answer that question, they will get bored. Always.

• Don’t get bored yourself. If what you are writing is boring yourself, it will bore readers too. Have fun, amuse yourself, indulge your juvenile sense of humour as you write. Even if reader’s don’t share your sense of humour or immaturity, they will absorb your enthusiasm.

• Most of all WRITE THE SORT OF THING YOU LOVE TO READ.

I hope that helps. Now go forth and be less boring.