README Writer

README Structure

A good README flows through these sections:

1. What and why — What the package does and why it matters (the "what's in it for me" for the reader)
2. Install and use — How to get started quickly
3. Configuration — Common options and methods
4. Contributing — How to contribute, or a pointer to CONTRIBUTING.md. Notes on the build environment and portability
5. Project layout — Brief explanation of unusual top-level directories or files, hints for navigating the source

Writing for a Technical Audience

Reading Level

Target a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of 11 or below. Technical terms will naturally inflate the score — that's fine. The goal is to keep the surrounding prose clear and direct so the technical content stays accessible.

After writing or revising, measure with scripts/flesch_kincaid.rb:

cat README.md | ruby scripts/flesch_kincaid.rb

Revise until the score is at or below grade 11. Focus revision effort on:

• Shortening sentences (not dumbing down terminology)
• Replacing complex connectors with simple ones
• Breaking multi-clause sentences into two

ESL-Friendly Writing

Many readers of technical documentation are not native English speakers.

Profile vocabulary coverage with scripts/vocabulary_profiler.rb:

cat README.md | ruby scripts/vocabulary_profiler.rb

Aim to increase the percentage of words in the top 1000 most common English words. Technical terms will lower this number — that's expected. Keep the non-technical words simple.

Do:

• Use active voice
• Keep noun phrases short and direct
• Limit embedded clauses to one level of nesting
• Use simple "if/then" conditionals
• Make logical connections explicit with transition words (however, therefore, because)
• Spread information across multiple sentences when needed

Don't:

• Stack multiple modifiers before nouns ("the recently revised standardized testing protocol")
• Rely on mixed or inverted conditionals ("Had she known...")
• Expect readers to infer relationships between ideas
• Pack too many new concepts into a single sentence
• Assume shared knowledge of idioms or cultural references

Flow and Transitions

• Start with concepts, then details. Give readers the "why" before the "how"
• Add transitions between major sections so the document reads as a narrative, not a list of disconnected blocks
• Use phrases like "Now that you have X set up, here's how to configure Y"
• Create logical progression from high-level to detailed

Formatting

GitHub-Flavored Markdown

Use callout blocks to highlight important information:

[!CAUTION] [!IMPORTANT] [!NOTE] [!TIP] [!WARNING]

Disambiguation

• Use bold for key concepts on first introduction
• Use code for commands, filenames, config keys, and values
• Use concrete, descriptive names for examples ("Invoice Approval" not "Example 1")

Quality Checklist

Before finalizing, verify:

• Each section flows naturally into the next
• Flesch-Kincaid grade level is 11 or below
• Key concepts are bolded on first use
• Examples use real scenario names, not generic placeholders
• No corporate buzzwords (comprehensive, robust, seamless, leverage, utilize)
• Terminology is consistent throughout (same word for same concept)
• Acronyms and specialized terms are defined on first use
• Active voice is used wherever possible

Bibliography

• GNU Coding Standards, https://www.gnu.org/prep/standards/html_node/Releases.html
• Software Release Practice HOWTO, https://tldp.org/HOWTO/Software-Release-Practice-HOWTO/distpractice.html