Technical Writing
If You Ask a Rhetorical Question, Answer It, Right Away
If you pull your readers into a topic by asking a rhetorical question that’s perfectly acceptable as a writing style. But if you do that, you’d better answer your own question right away. Otherwise some of your readers can be really frustrated. Rhetorical questions increase the stakes. They introduce a tension that needs to be relieved by…
Read More3 Top Characteristics of Technical Writing
© Ugur Akinci Every job, every occupation has its rules, correct? Break these rules and you’ll be in trouble. Here are some general rules in tech writing: Tech Writing is Correct This is the most important (but not the only) characteristics of technical writing. No matter what else it is, a technical document first of all…
Read MoreShould technical writing be boring or entertaining?
Someone said “good technical writing is boring writing.” Not only that is true, but that’s a beautiful thing too. Why? Allow me to explain. Let’s think about what makes a piece of writing EXCITING versus BORING. Read any creative writing book you like and I think you’ll see that the author recommends VARYING word usage,…
Read MoreAn Embarrassing Start to My Technical Writing Career
(Please leave a comment, good or bad, I appreciate them all. What questions do you have? I’m interested to know. Many thanks!) © Ugur Akinci I have a confession to make today… I’m embarrassed and actually still blush a little when I remember how I started my tech writing career. The year was 1998. At the…
Read MoreTCC has a new logo!
Here is our new logo that we’ll use in all our communications: Did you like it? Let me know what you think. Thanks. Ugur
Read MoreProposal Writing for U.S. Government Contracts
“Proposal Planning and Writing for RFPs” is a 51-page (8.5” x 11”) comprehensive volume describing in over 10,000 words every aspect of responding to a government RFP (Request For Proposal). This e-book even covers the questions that need to be asked to decide whether an RFP is the correct one, way before the prosal writers…
Read MoreAP Style Quiz Book: 150 Questions with Answers to Test your AP Stylebook Knowledge
Basic Software Documentation Terms Every Tech Writer Should Know
Introduction It helps to know Basic Software Documentation Terms if you’re documenting any software product. It cuts down on your preparation time and saves you from getting those “funny stares” from the developers/engineers when it becomes apparent that you don’t know what you’re talking about. Rule of Thumb Always do your homework first and get…
Read MoreHow to Write Goal-Focused and Structured Technical Documents
PREMISE Most of the technical documentation that exists in the world today is feature-focused. It is also unstructured: there is no well-defined hierarchy between the components of the document. For example, there is no enforcement of a hierarchical rule like “every task description shall be followed by a reference section.” See this related article. PROBLEM…
Read MoreAvoid “Double Possibility” in Your Statements
When copywriting, avoid double possibility in your statements. That’s the fundamental rock on which all copywriting stands. George Bernard Shaw once wrote a very long letter to a friend and ended it with the following post script: “Sorry, I didn’t have the time today to write you a short letter.” Clean technical writing is easy…
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