Lossing a Button

I hate it when I lose a button on my shirt. But I don't mind when it drops from a sentance.

I have two pairs of pants sitting in my closet - and a couple more shirts - where I have lost a button.   I don't want the toss them or give them away, but I never seem to find the time to stitch on a replacement.  They just take up space.

In writing however, the opposite is true: losing a 'button' can actually help you save space.

I have been picking through William Zinsser's "On Writing Well" every few days and reading a few pages at a time.  He makes a case for dropping unnecessary words as often as appropriate.  I agree, especially in technical writing.

In the manuals I write, it is important that directions are succinct.  "The user should click the Start button" should be "click Start".

This leads me to my issue: the word 'button'.  In most software manuals, this word is overused.  Considering that computers have been a part of our lives for more than 20 years, I think its about time that we begin to acknowledge the experience levels of the general population.

If you are a PC user familiar with windows XP, I do not need to write "Click on the Windows Start menu button"  when "Click Start" is sufficient.  If you are drafting technical documentation, the ability to be concise is critical.

When proofreading, I reread my work several separate times looking for specific areas to improve.  Spelling, grammar, word choice, and sentence structure each get a specific review.  I am not someone who can keep four or five concepts in my head at a time, so I try and review in a pattern for each of my writing priorities.  Accuracy, clarity, brevity and appeal are all given due attention.

I encourage you to consider your own writing and when it might be appropriate to loose a button.