FLOSS Weekly 749: That's In Chapter Three - Kyle Rankin, How To Write a Tech Book
Sep 13, 2023
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Kyle Rankin, author of How to Write a Tech Book, shares insights on writing a tech book, including using LaTeX for formatting and pitching book ideas to tech publishers. He discusses the editing process, differences between self-publishing and working with traditional publishers, and the impact of the internet on tech book publishing.
Using LaTeX for formatting and layout is beneficial for self-publishing tech books.
Pitching a book idea to traditional tech publishers requires a well-formed pitch that explains unique value and appeals to the target market.
Transitioning from writing short-form articles to long-form books involves selecting a comprehensive topic, collecting relevant articles, and expanding upon existing content.
Deep dives
Writing a Book on How to Write a Tech Book
In this podcast episode, Kyle Rankin discusses his latest book, which is a tech book about how to write a tech book. The book takes a meta approach, covering everything from the idea to publishing and the writing process. Kyle shares how he compiled his old Linux Journal articles into a book and decided to self-publish. He also talks about using LaTeX for formatting and choosing the right publishing service, such as Lulu. Kyle emphasizes the importance of a solid outline, finding dedicated writing time, and the benefits of self-publishing.
Pitching and Breaking into Tech Publishing
Kyle provides insights into breaking into tech publishing and the process of pitching a book to publishers. He encourages aspiring authors to have a well-formed book pitch that explains the book's unique value and market appeal. While expertise in a subject is important, Kyle notes that being a foremost authority is not necessary. Instead, being competent in the topic and having the ability to explain it to beginners is crucial. He also advises choosing publishers strategically and following their pitching guidelines.
Transitioning from Short-Form to Long-Form Writing
When transitioning from writing short-form articles to long-form books, Kyle suggests selecting a topic that is larger and more comprehensive. He explains that a typical article of 600-1200 words is equivalent to around three pages in a book, while a tech book usually spans a minimum of 150 pages. Kyle recommends collecting relevant articles and identifying common topics to form chapters in the book. Having a well-structured outline and expanding upon existing content can facilitate the transition from short-form to long-form writing.
The Power of LaTeX in Text Formatting
LaTeX is a text formatting language that allows users to easily format text by using minimal markup. Similar to HTML for websites, LaTeX enables users to specify headings, paragraphs, code blocks, and more with just a few simple commands. LaTeX provides efficient ways to make text italic, create headers of different sizes, and generate tables of contents. It is widely used in academia for writing research papers and is also a handy tool for other documents like resumes. LaTeX streamlines the text formatting process, making it fast and powerful, especially when working with templates and automating tasks like adding page numbers and generating indices.
Navigating the Publishing World for Writers
When it comes to writing books, traditional publishers offer valuable guidance, especially for first-time authors. Working with a publisher provides access to experienced editors who can help navigate the learning curve and ensure the book's quality. Traditional publishers typically require authors to provide the content in a standard Word document format, often following specific templates. While there are alternatives for open-source enthusiasts like LibreOffice, publishers prefer Word due to industry standards. By separating the writing and formatting phases, authors can focus on the creative process before using templates and following style guides to mark up their manuscripts. This approach allows publishers to efficiently convert the document into a print-ready format, preserving the author's voice while ensuring professional standards for publication.
Writing a tech book is easy if you start with the proper guidance. Doc Searls and Jonathan Bennett get that guidance and much more from Kyle Rankin, author of How to Write a Tech Book.
The benefits of using LaTeX for formatting and layout when self-publishing.
How to pitch a book idea to traditional tech publishers like O'Reilly.
Advice on when you're ready to write your first tech book based on your skills.
How to make the transition from writing short-form articles to full book projects.
Differences between self-publishing and working with traditional publishers.
The editing process and importance of tech editing to perfect a textbook manuscript.
How the rise of the internet and digital documents impacts tech book publishing.
