How to Write A Tutorial (Also, How To Make A Daisy Chain)

Now, I gotta say right off - I might be really stepping in it here: writing a tutorial on how to write a tutorial?!  Who do I think I am?  Well, I'm just  someone who loves and appreciates a good craft tutorial and would like to see more of them in the world! 

I've been involved in craft blogging for 3½ years now and have seen many, many tutorials in the blog world; also, since starting The Crafty Crow two months ago, I have been on a one-woman mission looking at children's craft tutorials and have seen 100's just in the last few months.  Besides writing my own tutorials here at Bella Dia, I've had experience in contributing patterns and instructions to books and all this leads me to tell you - a good tutorial takes a lot of work and is hard to do!  So this tutorial about how to write a tutorial is well, double jeopardy?!  Mostly, I am trying to share what I look for in a tutorial and what I think makes a good tutorial.  I sure don't want to sound like I'm the know all end all here - it's just my opinion and what I've learned from my last few years of doing this. 
So here goes!

Note: I am going to be using
a new tutorial of mine about how to make a daisy chain for my example (in blue). Since I don't have any daisies but I do have lots (and lots and lots) of dandelions
I'll be using them as my flower of choice.

How To Write A Tutorial

1. Specific Title.  Be specific in the title of your tutorial versus a cute but mysterious title that no one will know what you are talking about until they read the post.

How To Make A Daisy Chain instead of Daisy Daisy Give Me Your Answer Do

Optionally: Give a cute title but with a specific subtitle.

Daisy Daisy Give Me Your Answer Do: How To Make A Daisy Chain

By naming your tutorial in the title it will make it easier for people to search for it in your blog archives and easier for search engines to find it too. 

2.  Begin with a picture of the completed project.  Yep, right at the beginning so everyone can see what they are
going to make :) 

3.  Give an overall description of the project.  How long did it take (hours, minutes, days), what is it good for (gifts, recycling, just plain fun, etc.), age range or ages of who did the project (adults, kids with adult help, 3+, etc.) and the difficulty level, any tips (messy, outside, ventilate, etc.), any materials that are hard to find or unusual and where to find them.

Daisy (dandelion) chains are a fun last minute activity that children of almost any age can make.  I didn't have any daisies on hand but any sturdy-stemmed flower will do and if you're lucky like me you'll have a whole backyard full of dandelions just waiting to be made into beautiful garlands! ;)

4.  Materials and tools list.  Make a list of everything you will need to complete the project.  If you use a particular brand I'd love to know that too.  You know what makes a materials and tools list even better?  A picture!   

Materials:  as many sturdy-stemmed flowers as you want

Tools: fingernails

Special Note Regarding Pictures:  The more pictures in your tutorial the better but you need to have at least one for each different step. Clear pictures with a clean and contrasting background.  Close-up views and sometimes a picture of the whole work space for perspective.

*click on pictures for a larger view*

5.  Procedure.  This is the hardest part.  Depending on how complicated the tutorial is, try to break it down into clear easy steps, numbering is helpful, and add the obligatory picture for each step.  Using bold and italic typefaces can indicate new steps or important tips.  Different colors can be helpful too but don't go overboard because it will make it more confusing.  Definitely add any precautions or pointers or "don't do what I did" kind of help.  Watch your vocabulary and try to be consistent with
the words you use.

Step 1: Gather your flowers; stems need to be thick enough and strong enough to hold together after making a vertical cut within the stem.

Step 2: Make a small split in the stem with your fingernails.  It only needs to be big enough to slide in another flower stem.  The split pictured is about one inch below the flower head but you can vary this as you please.  The closer the split to the flower head then the closer together the flowers will be on the garland and the further away from the flower head then the further away the flowers will be from each other on the garland. 

Step 3:  Slide the stem end of another flower through the split until it stops at the flower head.  You may trim off the first stem about 1/2" behind the split. 

Step 4:  Repeat Steps 2 and 3 until your daisy chain is the length you want or you run out of flowers.

Step 5:  If you want to make a crown then slide the very last stem through the split of the very first flower and pull so the circle is complete.

6. Review.  Check for errors.  Read it through several times to see that it makes sense and proceeds logically. If possible, have someone else read it and give you some feedback. 

Here are some examples of
great tutorials:

Crafty Pod's button pendant
Sycamore Stirring's coffee filter butterflies
Future Girl's fabric lining for a crocheted bag

If you have any other suggestions
for what you think makes a great tutorial please leave them in the comments.  Thanks so much for indulging me here and I hope this helps some of you put together your own tutorials :)

Now I'm off to check out the tutorials
in my archives...

Comments

[Jenny]

Fabulous tutorial for tutorials! I am going to write another now and use this as a guideline :)

[Patty]

Great explanation...I appreciate it!

[Emma Howard]

Easily understood,step by step instructions that I can use in my own workshop's handouts that have lacked the clarity shown here.

Thank you!

Emma

[Mellissa - wondermommy]

Thanks for this great tutorial on tutorials. It really helped a lot!

[Jean]

My daughter found your site and sent it to me because my blog is called "The Daisy Chain!" I'm glad she passed it on to me as I found your tutorial very instructive. I've always wondered how they were done and now I know! Thanks!

~Ms. Daisy

[Patricia]

What a great post. It's so timely as I just wrote my first tutorial. As of this moment, I have not altered it. I plan on adding some of your tips, with credit given.
I wrote the tutorial as an exercise in technical writing. It's been a while since I had written anything with instructions.

[ToddleBits]

This is incredibly insightful. Funny how I never even thought to post the finished product in the beginning, but it makes perfect sense. Thanks for the tips!

[Darlene Koppel]

So generous of you to offer a guide on "how to write tutorials."

Thanks so much. I appreciate it!!!

[kt]

My girl and I just made clover chains; we cut a step or two, but took your advice and posted it here: kamsarmer.blogspot.com

[Amy]

Thanks for writing this. It was very helpful.

[Lorrie]

Thanks for the great tutorial on writing tutorials. I'm thinking of doing some on my blog so this came about at the perfect time for me!

Lorrie

[Lorrie]

Thanks for the great tutorial on writing tutorials. I'm thinking of doing some on my blog so this came about at the perfect time for me!

Lorrie

[Lorrie]

Thanks for the great tutorial on writing tutorials. I'm thinking of doing some on my blog so this came about at the perfect time for me!

Lorrie

[Wendy]

I agree with Anna, I sometimes feel like I'm way over-explaining things. But, I keep doing it because that's how I like the tutorials that I read to be. I only worry that people think I'm talking down to them. Oh well, I write for the simpletons like me. (I assume I'm not the only one.)

And I think this is a brilliant post! There are definitely a couple of ideas that's I haven't been including, but will start to.

Oh, and we've got a yard full of dandelions just waiting to be turned into chains. Two tutorials in one! Fantastic.

[Kuky]

Thank you for writing this. I'll keep it in mind if I write another one.

I do have a suggestion. I like tutorials that are on one web page. No backwards, forwards, just scrolling up and down. They're easier to print out that way too.

[Ali]

Drawing a diagram can sometimes be clearer than taking a photograph

And don't use brand names, because they vary from country to country

[Shivi]

more tips.... not having too many steps or too many photos for just one step as it can look very overwhelming and daunting so try and condense your information when possible. Also try not to make your pictures too big. Lastly also remember to include extra names for things (eg. if using bulldog clips in a tutorial, in brackets next to it, you might write crocodile clips as people from different countries might know one not the other;eg. writing inches and put cm in brackets)

[Susann]

I wrote already several tutorials, but never thought about how.
Next time I will pay a little more attention to your suggestions above and it surely will get better!
Thanks!

[katy]

thanks for mentioning my butterfly tutorial . . . all those years of writing lesson plans must of payed off ~

[jen]

wow! this must have been a lot of work for you. well done! thanks

[chookyblue]

I loved making daisy chains........it was a favourite activity at school.......

[Berlinswhimsy]

Thank you, thank you, Cassi! I was just about to write one up when I saw yours---now I am going to use this format... So helpful!

[clarice]

Thank you, so need this. I hate writing. I still do not know how I have a blog. I will save this post for future xoxoxo Clarice

[Anneke]

Thank you for this! With these clear steps I should be able to write a tutorial myself. Just have to learn to plan my work... Most of the time I'm just creating, and hey! It turned out to be nice. But how did I do this...? Can you write a tutorial about how to pay attention? ;-)

[sooz]

In the UK we have an old wives' tale that if you pick dandelions then you will wet the bed!

I fear it was merely a spoiler from some old baggage who didn't want her children to enjoy the happy flowers!

Yet I can't help but tell everyone that - whenever we deal with les dents de lions *sigh*