Last week, I wrote a little bit about the complications that can arise when writing about software.
But there’s a whole other side to writing in-depth reviews, like the one I published on OS X Lion.
While I am proud of the almost 3,000 words in that review, it was utterly exhausting to spend so much time digging into beta software, trying to explain things I discovered in a way that would be helpful for my readers. Coming up with ways to describe Launchpad and Mission Control isn’t as easy as it may seem.
Stitching a collection of informational tidbits and editorial opinions into something coherent with an actual point is mind-melting.
There’s a weight to all of this beyond the writing itself.
When Lion is released, there aren’t going to be many — if any — surprises in store for tech writers. Reviewing pre-release software takes away some of the magic of launch day.
Granted, the rush of publishing is usually enough to make up for it.
I guess what I’m trying to get around to saying is this: it’s such a relief to have this review out the door, and nerve-wrecking that people are finally reading it.