IS204 Technical Authoring

Writing Process

Working methods while writing your own work:

Is there a right way to write?

what were you taught?
how do you think you should write?
how do you write?
are there any strategies and representations which might be interesting to other people in the class?

	Uninstantiated	Instantiated
Unorganised	Techniques Brainstorming Representation Idea labels	Techniques Taking verbatim notes Collecting citations Representation Notes
Non-linear organisation	Techniques Following a thread Writing as dialectic Representation Spider diagrams Highlighting notes	Techniques Organising references in themes Representation Network of notes
Linear Organisation	Techniques Outlining Representation Outline plan Table of contents	Techniques Drafting text Revising text Representation Linear text draft

take a genre-based approach, e.g. Getting Started, Tutorials, Computer Based Training, User Manual, Reference Guide, Quick Reference, On-line Help
exploit the structure via outlining software
make all drafts complete (not lumpy)
annotate drafts with questions for engineers, "To Do" points for self, offcuts, comments from reviewers
use tools provided - general style guides, organisation's style guides, macros, style sheets, grammar checkers, possibly databases, e.g. for keeping track of technical questions and answers, structured glossaries and so on.
remember you are developing a tool kit for years to come