14 Widespread Myths about Technical Writing

• You have to be quite tech-savvy to be a good technical writer
      in Technical writers need a technical background and sound domain knowledge
• The tools you know are more important than your industry knowledge
      in Good technical documentation requires use of several sophisticated tools
• Technical writers spend most of their time writing
      in Technical documentation is a writing intensive job
• Technical writers aren’t allowed to contact users directly. They should get their information through the product manager, customer support, and marketing
      in You can’t talk to SMEs
• The GlueText Myth
      in Transitional text plays no role in most technical content
• The Stem Sentences Myth
      in Stem sentences are not necessary in technical content
• The Front-Matter Page-Numbering Myth
      in Front matter must use different page numbers than the content
• The Callouts on Graphics Myth
      in Callouts should not be used in graphics
• You can’t get a job in technical writing unless you have technical writing samples; but you won’t have samples until you have a job in technical writing
      in You need technical writing samples to get a job in technical writing
• A technical writer who has years of experience is more knowledgeable than one with fewer years of experience
      in A technical writer with years of experience knows more than one with less experience
• Be careful about having a blog, because all employers google you and will find it
      in Be careful about having a blog, because all employers will read it
• Technical writing academics are disconnected with the profession and only have a tenuous idea about the actual practice of technical writing
      in Technical writing academics are disconnected with the profession
• You can’t have voice or style in technical writing. It has to be objective. And the fewer contractions, the better
      in Technical writing must be objective
• You can single source your material into all the formats your audience needs, if you just learn the right tool or technology.
      in Single-sourcing success just requires the right tool or technology
• You can’t have voice or style in technical writing. It has to be objective. And the fewer contractions, the better
      in You can’t use contracted forms of verbs

Source

Johnson, T. (2008, June 26). 14 Widespread Myths about Technical Writing. Retrieved August 9, 2017, from http://idratherbewriting.com/2008/06/26/myths-myths-myths-about-technical-writing/

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