The Complete Idiot's Guide to Technical Writing

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 352 pages
• Published by: Alpha
• Edition: 1st Edition February 15, 2001
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0028641469
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0028641461
• Book Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.8 inches
• Weighs: 1.3 pounds

Product Description
"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Technical Writing" not only can help you break into the field of technical writing, it can help you learn what to do once you're there. It's not enough to discuss documentation in conceptual terms -- today's technical writer wants to know "What do I do first?" "How do I get the information?" and "What do I do with an empty computer screen, a product that's still being developed, and an engineer who's too busy to talk to me?" This book provides step-by-step instructions by people who have "been there, done that," and know some ways to help.

Both new and experienced tech writers can benefit from tips on how to learn about technical topics, gather information, plan documentation sets, schedule milestones, and write clearly. For those of you who want to be technical writers but can't get your foot in the door, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Technical Writing" also gives help on what you need to do to give you an edge while you write your resume, hunt for a job, and interview. Once you're happily working, you can use the book for help on managing your career. An appendix contains a list of more than 50 Web sites devoted to technical writing and associated subjects.

From the Author
The authors of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Technical Writing," are obviously biased, but we think this book fills a big need. It's the book we wish we had had when we started.

We've spent the last ten years training newcomers in the field of technical writing, and more than once, we've wished there was a book we could hand them that would lay everything out clearly and progressively. This is that book!

We wrote this book with the expectation that a motivated reader could start a demanding, fast-paced job in a high-tech industry, and be successful from the first day.

Reader Reviews
When I saw the title "Idiot's Guide to Technical Writing," I wasn't sure what to think. Then I sat down and skimmed through some of the chapters and became more intrigued. The more I read of this book, the more impressed I was. The authors have written an excellent guide to the field of technical writing. They cover a wide variety of topics in this book, all of them quite important to know about. I've been a tech writer for years and I don't recall reading a book about technical writing that covered so many different areas so succinctly as this one does. Among the topics covered in the book are "what it takes to be a technical writer," how to get your first "big break," the process involved in organizing and writing a manual, how to "schedule" writing projects, gathering and organizing the information, the different types of manuals a tech writer is expected to write, indexing, even a few tips on writing. There's a "dark side" to tech writing as well (long hours at times) and the authors deal with this as well. I feel this book is invaluable to anyone considering a career change to tech writing, but even "vets" like myself will find many items of value here.