Technical Writing
Software Documentation – Special Meaning of "Business" in Software Design
Did you know that for software developers the word “business” (as in “business requirements,” “business layer,” or “business specs”) has a meaning totally different than its regular everyday connotation? For a software engineer, a “business layer” has nothing to do with selling goods and services and making money or running a real business; but everything…
Read MoreHow to Write Like an "Insider"
It’s a common writing mistake – a head-on and high-handed criticism which leaves the “insiders” with the impression that “this writer has no idea what’s going on in here…” Imagine you’re the head of security at the Fortune-100 ABC corporation. You have worked for the last 15 years for this same company, developing many of…
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Technical Writing – 3 Golden Rules of Indexing
Introduction Indexing is the process of compiling and sorting all the pages of a book, magazine or periodical. The indexer is responsible for creating an alphabetical list of all the topics covered in the text. The reader can then use it to find specific information in the text more easily by looking up words that…
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How to Create a Cross-Reference in FrameMaker
Introduction A cross-reference is often used in technical and scientific publications to indicate related information. The purpose of cross-referencing is to help the reader find related information in the document. The following are some examples of how cross-references can be used in a document: A) To provide information about an author or article that is…
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How to Scale or Resize PDF Pages in Acrobat
Introduction to Scale or Resize PDF Pages To know how to scale or resize PDF pages is a skill that can save you a lot of time and money. Why? Because disasters do happen. Imagine you have finished a 900-page PDF document and you realize that the left margin should’ve been 0.5 inch smaller. Oops!…
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When to Use Jargon in Technical Writing?
Introduction: What is jargon and why do people use it? You’ve heard it a thousand times and it’s true: you should stay away from jargon and write as you speak. Jargon is a type of language that is specific to a particular group of people, such as the military, medicine, or politics. The use of…
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What Should a Writer Do During Economic Downturns?
Introduction Are you a writer or thinking to become one? Then I’ve got good news for you. Writing is a profession that offers lots of opportunities and a variety of jobs at all levels. These jobs are quite flexible, you can write for blogs, newspapers, magazines, textbooks or fiction books. Depending on the kind of…
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How to Use Bulleted Lists
Introduction: What is a Bulleted List and Why are They So Helpful? Bulleted lists are extremely helpful in summarizing and organizing information. They are also very easy to read and comprehend. Bulleted lists are also used to present the key points for a given topic, so that the reader can easily follow along with what…
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3 Ways to Find a Technical Writing Job
Introduction There are three ways to find a technical writing job: 1) On your own, as an independent freelancer. 2) Through a job agency, as a contractor. 3) As a company employee on the payroll. Each offers different benefits and advantages, depending on your skills as a technical writer, your background and your personality. Independent…
Read More4 Ideas to Organize Your Images and Screenshots
Most technical documents would have at least a few images to illustrate a point, or screen shots that accompany the description of a certain step-by-step procedure, etc. Organizing such images can really become a problem, especially when you have dozens and hundreds of them. Finding, editing, and importing them can quickly become a logistical nightmare,…
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