7 May 2007 - 8:01Crazy Book Ideas

Every so often (more often than I’d admit) I come up with a software development book idea. This idea is almost always for a book that has no equivalent currently on the market. For a short time I dream about pitching my idea to O’Reilly, Manning, APress, or Pragmatic. However, I usually realize pretty quickly there is a reason my book idea isn’t already written.

Here I present to you my latest book idea, complete with a chapter listing.

Whiteboarding for Software Developers

1. Know Your Equipment: A Guide to Whiteboards, Markers, and Erasers
2. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Drawing for Software Developers
3. Whiteboarding UML: A Beginner’s Guide
4. Persistence: How To Save Your Diagrams Across Erases
5. Color: How To Add Clarity and Flair to Your Drawings
6. Whiteboard Etiquette: Using Shared Whiteboards in a Collaborative Environment (thanks to Scott Ambler)
7. Presenting: How To Effectively Incorporate A Whiteboard When Speaking To A Group
8. Under Pressure: How To Not Flop During Interview Whiteboarding
9. Cleaning and Care: Maintaining Your Whiteboard
10. Alternatives: When Not To Use A Whiteboard

You may think I’m joking about this book idea. However, if I came across this book in a bookstore it would be an immediate buy.