All Questions
Tagged with technical-writing non-fiction
19 questions
3
votes
1
answer
150
views
Is sacrificing "clarity" for sounding smarter on a college continued interest letter a good idea?
I put "clarity" in quotes because I know it is not the right word but I cannot think of what the correct word should be.
I am writing a continued interest letter for my top college. I have ...
- 145
2
votes
2
answers
87
views
Best way to explain references to historic currency
What is the best way to explain the pre-decimal British Pound in a text that has multiple references to it.
I already have something written to explain how to convert from pre-decimal to post-decimal ...
- 46
0
votes
3
answers
85
views
Mapping relationships between topics in a non-fiction series
I am working on a series of episodes that will be made into individual videos to explain different technologies and how they interrelate at different levels within a specific application domain (the ...
- 101
0
votes
1
answer
54
views
When is it appropriate to include citations in a guidebook?
I'm working on a series of self-published guidebooks aimed at teaching tech skills for people who aren't tech literate. My only prior experiences writing nonfiction have been research papers for ...
0
votes
0
answers
44
views
How should I structure a small non-fiction book/paper about a groundbreaking product/invention?
I want to write a book/paper about an invention I have thought and developed conceptually.
But I'm really struggling on what I should include in it and how to structure the information.
Any ...
- 121
3
votes
1
answer
174
views
How to list main ideas in a conclusion chapter without being repetitive with the wording?
In the conclusions chapter of my book (technical, non fiction writing) I want to go over the main ideas I addressed throughout the entire book, as a reminder for the reader and really drive in some of ...
- 33
3
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Correct way of Citing References in a writing a Non-Fiction book?
I am trying to write a non-fiction book about summarizing core computer science concepts. I plan to self publish this book through the Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing program. My target audience ...
- 133
8
votes
1
answer
316
views
Plain language with long required phrases
I am trying to create documentation for an application, and it's for end users who use keyboard (not mouse) and a screen reader.
Some of our conventions require us to always use the full phrase as ...
- 4,642
1
vote
5
answers
277
views
technical subjects - non-fiction vs fiction
This is a question I tried to ask in Novelizing non-fiction, is it worth it?
But was un-clear and maybe too generic.
Let’s say I am a scuba diving expert and I could write a non-fiction book about ...
5
votes
3
answers
252
views
How can I express this fragment more clearly and concisely?
For the 'who is this application for' section of an application user guide, I have the following alternatives, I'm not happy with either one. How can I convey both elements more clearly and consisely?...
- 153
6
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Which goes first: summary, background or justification?
I am trying to write a long expository piece and cannot figure out which information should come first. Here are three candidates:
A summary/abstract lists the main points, without necessarily ...
- 325
5
votes
6
answers
546
views
Does this feel like natural English?
Although I'm pretty confident in my English, I'm not a native English speaker. I need to write a short introduction for a symposium; I'd like to know if you think this paragraph feels like 'natural' ...
- 201
11
votes
10
answers
362
views
An alternative to saying 'users' when describing features
I'm creating some copy describing new web-app features for a number of different audiences (users, managers of sections of the site, owners of sub-sites which use our platform etc.).
I'm finding ...
- 213
10
votes
17
answers
5k
views
Does a technical writer need a technical background?
Does a technical writer need a technical background?
- 8,726
9
votes
3
answers
725
views
What are the key skills for a new technical writer?
For those that are just starting out, what are key skills they should have or learn to be a good technical writer?
- 8,726
11
votes
8
answers
4k
views
Good Outlining Solutions For OSX?
I write technical non-fiction and find that I cannot write well without first constructing a detailed (10-20 page) outline. Are there any good outlining solutions for OSX? Apps? Templates in Microsoft ...
- 491
43
votes
7
answers
4k
views
Writing first programming book
I was recently asked if I was interested in writing a book for a pretty reputable publisher, which of course I accepted. I am not a writer by trade, I am a software developer with some technical ...
6
votes
5
answers
578
views
Using uncommon abbreviations
Something which I see all the time in (popular) science writing is the use of abbreviations to indicate concepts. For (a made up) example:
So when we're dealing with Anachronistic Meta Mechanics (...
- 203
31
votes
10
answers
1k
views
How can one make technical issues more accessible to a non-technical audience?
Most of what I write is non-fiction -- technical books, blog posts on open source topics, political stuff, etc. Lately, I find that some of the topics I am trying to present are much more technical ...
- 4,485