Technical Writing 101: A Real-World Guide to Planning and Writing Technical Documentation, Second Edition (Paperback)

by Alan S. Pringle (Author), Sarah S. O'Keefe (Author) "The short definition of "technical writer" is a person who writes about technical topics..." (more)
Key Phrases: tech writing job, doc plan, legacy documentation, Extensible Markup Language, Microsoft Word, Paint Shop Pro (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
The [first edition's] pace is brisk, the writing crisp and clear....business principles behind technical writing shine through as well. -- Technical Communication: Journal of the Society for Technical Communication, May 2002

Product Description
To succeed in technical writing, you need a lot more than just writing ability. Technical Writing 101 details the skills you need as a technical writer, and it explains how to handle the pressures of tight deadlines and ever-changing product specifications. This valuable reference also describes the entire documentation process—planning, writing, editing, indexing, and production.

This updated second edition features the latest information on single sourcing and a new chapter on how trends in structured authoring and Extensible Markup Language (XML) affect technical writers.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Scriptorium Press; 2nd edition (July 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 097047332X
• ISBN-13: 978-0970473325
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #186,554 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical and Educational, September 18, 2004

By	A. Watkins (Upper Marlboro, MD) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As the title mentions, Technical Writing 101, provides real-world planning tips. I found it to be very engaging, informative and very easy to read (finished within 24 hours of receiving it). It also sparked ideas on how I could look at a lot of projects I'm personally working on. The way the book is organized doesn't overload you with "too" much information. It also is very generous in providing other resources for further research and knowledge.

I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to get a good understanding of the technical writing process.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A one-time read for beginners, April 19, 2007

By	Janice King "Technical Copywriter and Copywri... (www.writinghightech.com) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book provides a good overview for those considering a technical writing career. It may also be helpful for engineers and others who work with technical writers or who want basic ideas for preparing documentation. The chatty, breezy writing style makes the book an easy read. But the lack of in-depth information and its focus only on documentation and online help projects limits the book's usefulness as a daily work reference.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Straightforward and clear, June 8, 2007

By	Jill (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

I thought this book was exactly what it said it was: a 101-level focus on technical writing. From the skills required by a good writer, to a technical writing process, to the task-oriented focus of user guides, this book covered all the basics, and was even written with a sense of humor. I am purchasing this for my technical publications department, because I think it's good to review the basics as a team, and there are specific topics that are newer to the team, such as how to write for globalization.