How to make a guide!

Pimpsy G. · 07-29-2012

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Hello everyone! This thread is specifically targeted at the art of making fun, readable, guides for people to enjoy. By the end of this thread, you will learn how to make an easy to read guide that everyone will love you and stroke you for. Lets get started!

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First of all, never use different fonts or colors. They get extremely annoying and no one likes them. This is simply a warning.

HOW TO MAKE A GUIDE:

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STEP 1: STEP BY STEP. You will need to divide your guide's general idea into steps on a sheet of paper or Microsoft word as a rough draft, as for anything this step by step delivery of information profoundly impacts the accessibly of the guide, without it readers may feel lost and confused. Do not actually create any steps yet, as step 2 is when you start doing this.

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STEP 2: SPACING. Fill out the first step and the last step on your rough draft completely. Just like writing a story, doing these first and THEN filling in the middle greatly impacts the organization of the guide. Sometimes if you do not do this some steps can end up being too long or in the wrong spots. This helps make each step uniform in complexity since you already know when it is ending.

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STEP 3. FILLING IT IN. Fill out the information for the intermediate steps on your rough draft. Again, using the beginning and the end, you should be able to pace these steps to be deliverable and uniform. This is where you create the actual number of steps needed for the guide itself.

-------------------------------------------------------
STEP 4: ORGANIZATION IS KEY. The first thing you need to do to accomplish this is add a title to each step, including the guide itself, on your rough draft for easy navigation. Readers may get lost if they do not know what is waiting for them in the next step. This idea gives assurance to the reader that the step they are on, in fact, is the next step.

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STEP 5: A PICTURES WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS. This can be the hardest or the easiest step depending on how much of an artist you are. This is where you add visual aids to each step in your rough draft as needed. Visual aids connect the message of each step much more profoundly and add a whole new level of recognition for the user. If you do not have a visual aid, I guarantee you there will be a miscommunication somewhere.

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STEP 6: PUTTING IT TOGETHER. Congradulations! You have pretty much made your guide now! But there's one more thing. Do you really want that guide to be a fumbling mess of text and pictures from Microsoft word? In my opinion that is rather boring. You can use that as your official guide, but artistically piecing the steps together to a more visually appealing set attracts much more people on their first glance. Add a little art to your guide! Mix things up, add some color, and give it your own feel! This step is completely up to you. Good luck!

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STEP 7: (Optional) GETTING THE GOLD. Are you hungry for rep? I know some of you are. Add this to the end of your guide if the whole point of it was to get some shinnies in the end. Its generally not a bad thing, as reputation encourages people to help others regardless of their main motivation. I obviously would never do that, though.

If you liked this gude,

me!

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Chaotic · 07-29-2012

lol

Emera · 07-29-2012

Don't mention reputation, MattKan might start crying.

MSM · 07-29-2012

Nice Guide Pimpsy

Maxy · 07-29-2012

nice guide for guide

Waffle · 07-29-2012

This was epic.

V. · 07-29-2012

Don't eat the yellow sand. haha!

Rexx · 07-29-2012

guide for a guide?
++Rep

Godoco · 07-29-2012

Posted by Emera

Don't mention reputation, MattKan might start crying.

Well that was mean ._.

Pimpsy G. · 07-29-2012

Posted by Rexx

guide for a guide?
++Rep

DIDNT WRK!1!!

Talon · 07-29-2012

Nice guide Pimpsy, I found the whole thing to be pretty damn funny. Had me laughing pretty loud at some portions. Sadly, I can't give you reputation ):

Posted by Emera

Don't mention reputation, MattKan might start crying.

Beat me to it.

MattKan · 07-29-2012

Lol this made me laugh +Rep

Edit: I've repped too much lately :/

callimuc · 07-30-2012

Guys come on, start to post something useful using Pimpsy's guide. I need to spread around

iSilver · 07-30-2012

Sorry pimpsey, this guide SUCCKS

( you know its serious when I click the I, B, and U buttons. )

callimuc · 07-30-2012

Posted by iSilver

Sorry pimpsey, this guide SUCCKS

( you know its serious when I click the I, B, and U buttons. )

Get out

And learn to spell sucks before using it

07-29-2012	1
Pimpsy G. Professional Burger Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: McDonalds Posts: 2,564	How to make a guide! ----------------------------------------------------------- Hello everyone! This thread is specifically targeted at the art of making fun, readable, guides for people to enjoy. By the end of this thread, you will learn how to make an easy to read guide that everyone will love you and stroke you for. Lets get started! ------------------------------------------------------------ First of all, never use different fonts or colors. They get extremely annoying and no one likes them. This is simply a warning. HOW TO MAKE A GUIDE: ------------------------------------------------------- STEP 1: STEP BY STEP. You will need to divide your guide's general idea into steps on a sheet of paper or Microsoft word as a rough draft, as for anything this step by step delivery of information profoundly impacts the accessibly of the guide, without it readers may feel lost and confused. Do not actually create any steps yet, as step 2 is when you start doing this. ------------------------------------------------------- STEP 2: SPACING. Fill out the first step and the last step on your rough draft completely. Just like writing a story, doing these first and THEN filling in the middle greatly impacts the organization of the guide. Sometimes if you do not do this some steps can end up being too long or in the wrong spots. This helps make each step uniform in complexity since you already know when it is ending. ------------------------------------------------------- STEP 3. FILLING IT IN. Fill out the information for the intermediate steps on your rough draft. Again, using the beginning and the end, you should be able to pace these steps to be deliverable and uniform. This is where you create the actual number of steps needed for the guide itself. ------------------------------------------------------- STEP 4: ORGANIZATION IS KEY. The first thing you need to do to accomplish this is add a title to each step, including the guide itself, on your rough draft for easy navigation. Readers may get lost if they do not know what is waiting for them in the next step. This idea gives assurance to the reader that the step they are on, in fact, is the next step. ------------------------------------------------------- STEP 5: A PICTURES WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS. This can be the hardest or the easiest step depending on how much of an artist you are. This is where you add visual aids to each step in your rough draft as needed. Visual aids connect the message of each step much more profoundly and add a whole new level of recognition for the user. If you do not have a visual aid, I guarantee you there will be a miscommunication somewhere. ------------------------------------------------------- STEP 6: PUTTING IT TOGETHER. Congradulations! You have pretty much made your guide now! But there's one more thing. Do you really want that guide to be a fumbling mess of text and pictures from Microsoft word? In my opinion that is rather boring. You can use that as your official guide, but artistically piecing the steps together to a more visually appealing set attracts much more people on their first glance. Add a little art to your guide! Mix things up, add some color, and give it your own feel! This step is completely up to you. Good luck! ------------------------------------------------------- STEP 7: (Optional) GETTING THE GOLD. Are you hungry for rep? I know some of you are. Add this to the end of your guide if the whole point of it was to get some shinnies in the end. Its generally not a bad thing, as reputation encourages people to help others regardless of their main motivation. I obviously would never do that, though. If you liked this gude, me! ------------------------------------------------------- Last edited by Pimpsy G.; 07-29-2012 at 07:17 PM.

07-29-2012	2
Chaotic busy Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 2,270	lol

07-29-2012	3
Emera Nerd Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Berlin Posts: 3,825	Don't mention reputation, MattKan might start crying.

07-29-2012	4
MSM GraalOnline Era PR Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: NY, United States Posts: 3,131	Nice Guide Pimpsy

07-29-2012	5
Maxy nothin Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: York Posts: 1,483	nice guide for guide

07-29-2012	6
Waffle Wafflin' Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Arizona Posts: 82	This was epic.

07-29-2012	7
V. .47 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Wundahland! Posts: 1,921	Don't eat the yellow sand. haha!

07-29-2012	8
Rexx User Registered Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 4,626	guide for a guide? ++Rep

07-29-2012	12
MattKan the KattMan Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: United States Posts: 4,204	Lol this made me laugh +Rep Edit: I've repped too much lately :/

07-30-2012	13
callimuc Registered User Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Germany Posts: 6,122	Guys come on, start to post something useful using Pimpsy's guide. I need to spread around

07-30-2012	14
iSilver 454234 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: michigan usa Posts: 640	Sorry pimpsey, this guide *SUCCKS* ( you know its serious when I click the I, B, and U buttons. )