Where and how do I write a guide?

[CosmicallyDrifting]

Hey... if been playing around on open.. and today... a new chacter build just slapper me in the face...

It's actually pretty good. I dont know if its been done before.. but ive never seen one before. I dont see why they're not just running around in duels yet.. but Ive come to enlighten it and make it glow.

If i want to write a guide... do i just write it in a thread and post it.. or is there qa special writing thingy.


thx:wink2:

[Lanceor]

There's no special requirement or format for writing guides. Just write it and post it is all you need to do, and if it's good enough, it will get praise, and will get stickied.

Although I'm considered a newbie guide writer myself, these are the things I keep in mind when I decide to write one.

Write on a topic that would interest people. Original new builds and strategies are always interesting. A guide on how to herd Quill Rats probably won't be.
Read through all the stickies and do a thorough search to make sure nobody else has written something similar.
Test thoroughly! You need to be an expert on the topic, and cover every possibility you can think of. Some may frown on the use of an SP editor, but I use one to test every potentially useful equipment combination I can think of that I don't have access to on BNet.
Explain everything... don't just make a list of equipment; explain your choices. Provide alternatives.
The more detail, the better. Copying and pasting things from the Arreat Summit is easy, but goes a long way to making your guide detailed.
Be humble. Claiming "omg dis gg build pwnz all ur lame paladins" will not make you popular. :wink3: There is no one build or strategy that is perfect for all situations. Keep in mind other players may have a different playing style, so list pros, cons and alternatives to let each player fine-tune a build to their liking.
A good build should be practically complete level 80-something at the latest.
Write in proper English. Speel chekc it thoroughly. Keep acronyms to a minimum.
Lay it out nicely with paragraphs and section headings to make it easy on the eyes. Use the [SIZE] and [HIGHLIGHT] tags to make headings stand out. A table of contents also helps.
Have fun with it! Add humour, anecdotes, anything that would make it an interesting read!


Lastly, I might mention some of SSoG's guides... though some of his builds are questionable (read: ugly :wink:), his writing style and layout captures the readers attention from the first sentence all the way to the last.

Looking forward to seeing your guide!

[Ed from Russia]

Why not start out with a small guide, e.g. give overview of skills, stats and equipment and ask around if it's new, if there is a guide available and ask for suggestions how to improve.

[SSoG]

Lastly, I might mention some of SSoG's guides... though some of his builds are questionable (read: ugly :wink:), his writing style and layout captures the readers attention from the first sentence all the way to the last.

Awwww, shucks. :blush: