Re: Examples of good tech writing?

Subject: Re: Examples of good tech writing?
From: Michele Davis <michele -at- krautgrrl -dot- com>
To: TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2006 16:08:08 -0600

Read, read, read. Not only should you have good examples, you should study bad ones. I have an entire folder of bad technical writing I've found on the web. I haven't read everyone's response but I think it needs to be said that some important characteristics of excellent technical writing include active verbs (voice) as opposed to passive verbs (voice). Don't say: "You can create..." That's passive, instead, say "You create..."

Trimming your sentences to be as concise as possible is also important. Ever notice how some websites yack on for two paragraphs when they could have said the same thing in two sentences? Consider if something is relevant before adding it to a manual.

Dummies books by Wiley & Sons, who bought out IDG, are good because most of their books have the chapters subsisting as solo entities. This means that you don't have references to previous chapters (I should know, I'm writing my third Dummies book right now) and each chapter has to exist on it's own written merit and procedures.

O'Reilly & Associates has a Learning Series of books that are good. Stay away, far away, from Visual QuickPro by Peachpit Press books, they are a good example of bad, bad writing and screen grabs.

Just my two cents worth.

Michele

---------------
Michele E. Davis, Writer
Kraut Companies
612-824-3516
612-309-6903 (cell)
www.krautgrrl.com
www.krautboy.com
and the uber geek empyre


Rich D wondered: <<Do you have a particular book, website, or instruction manual that you think really captures excellent technical writing? I'm returning to technical writing after a long absence and want to get inspired.>>

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Now Shipping -- WebWorks ePublisher Pro for Word! Easily create online
Help. And online anything else. Redesigned interface with a new
project-based workflow. Try it today! http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l

Doc-To-Help 2005 now has RoboHelp Converter and HTML Source: Author content and configure Help in MS Word or any HTML editor. No proprietary editor! *August release. http://www.componentone.com/TECHWRL/DocToHelp2005

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- infoinfocus -dot- com -dot-
To unsubscribe send a blank email to techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40infoinfocus.com

To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to lisa -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.


Follow-Ups:

References:
Examples of good tech writing?: From: R D
Examples of good tech writing?: From: Geoff Hart

Previous by Author: Sometimes we get our validated
Next by Author: Re: Examples of good tech writing?
Previous by Thread: Examples of good tech writing?
Next by Thread: Re: Examples of good tech writing?


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads