At some point, Stan Brown decided to refer to this feature of "HTML guides" that themselves failed HTML syntax validation as "Flavell's Law", and this term seems to have taken on a life of its own. Although I've never actually tried to formulate the "law" in so many words, I've seen several versions quoted of just what my "law" says. Alan Flavell, on "Flavell's Law"
This page is emphatically not an "HTML guide." Instead, I hope this page will help point people to the wonderful resources already available on the Web. The Web provides a unique opportunity to would-be authors and evangelists of every stamp. It also poses a challenge; it challenges us to make every word count, and to pursue excellence in expression.
Original Works
- Essay: Reasons to Learn SGML, even if you only care about authoring in HTML
- Essay: Permanence and the World Wide Web discusses briefly the need for permanence and stability in the volatile medium of the Web.
Pointers for Authors
Most importantly, writing for the web is simply writing. You don't want to publish bad writing; you don't want to publish bad writing on the web. Don't produce weak or pointless writing just to establish a presence. Make sure you have something important to say; make sure you say it well.
- Elements of Style by Strunk and White is indispensable. It's not just an incredible manual of good writing; it's also an incredible example of good writing.
- How to Write, Speak and Think More Effectively by Rudolph Flesch is another classic. Flesch wrote Why Johnny Can't Read and Why Johnny Still Can't Read (currently out of print). Flesch writes passionately; he advocates good, solid education and plain, simple writing. His advice is every bit as good today as the day it was written (the first edition was written in the fifties).
- If you read Flesch's book, then you'll throw away your copy of Roget's Thesaurus. Instead, you'll pick up a good children's dictionary, like the Thorndike Barnhart Student Dictionary. The children's dictionary will define words using simple synonyms. After all, why would you say "ineffable" or "effulgent" when you could say "unspeakable" or "shiny"?
Pointers for Web Authors
Writing is writing; some writing is found on the web. If you remember that, then your web publishing will be of the highest possible quality. First, focus on writing well. Once you've written something good, you will mark it up in plain, simple, valid HTML. Finally, when you've taken care of the content, you can include bouncing, spinning photographs of your cat (if your taste is that bad).
The following links can help with the details.
- Alan Flavell's Things to do with the World Wide Web
- Why Validate your HTML, by Tony Sanders. This is a brief, motivational article.
- Alan Flavell's article Use of Alt Text in Images is an enduring classic.
- Jutta Degener's article What is Good Hypertext Writing discusses good authorship with a forcefulness reminiscent of Strunk and White's Elements of Style.
HTML and Authoring Resources Online
- Jutta Degener's Links on Writing and Authorship deserves four stars. Not much about HTML, but sterling sources about writing.
- Elements of Style by Strunk and White. Read this and obey it! Read this and obey it! Read this and obey it! There is an online version as well.
- Politics
and the English Language by George Orwell. As he says,
Modern English, especially written English, is full of bad habits which spread by imitation and which can be avoided if one is willing to take the necessary trouble.
- The Web Design Group Homepage is full of HTML tutorials, manuals, and the like.
- The World Wide Web Consortium maintains the standards for HTML and Cascading Style Sheets. Their site is a little dry, but definitive and complete.
- The CSS Pointers compiled by Sue Jordon et al. is a good starting point for tutorials, tips, and examples of good stylesheet usage.
