Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips All writers should read. This goes for technical writers, too. Writers should read. Writers should read good material. Writers should read several hours a day. Fine. What about the technical writer? That is all non-fiction. There are plenty of good non-fiction books to read. I recommend the Pulitzer prize winners. I also […]

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by Dwayne Phillips When writing about technical subjects, use the correct nouns and verbs as synonyms don’t work. In various forms of writing about technical subjects, synonyms don’t work. For example, when describing electric current, flow—as in the flow of electrons or current—can’t be replaced by drift or glide, which are otherwise perfectly good synonyms […]

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by Dwayne Phillips Not sure what you want to say? Start writing about the topic, and you will probably learn what it is you want to say. William Zinsser once wrote a book with the same title as this blog post. That book is better than this blog post, and the two have slightly different […]

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by Dwayne Phillips In an attempt to go back to reality, adults are returning to coloring books. Everyone has a smartphone, a tablet, a computer, or all of these. You move the mouse, the cursor moves, and lines and colors and all that appear on the screen. Press control-P and the printer produces the paper […]

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by Dwayne Phillips On the first page of each journal book, I first write a few things to keep me in the desired frame of mind. Journal Writing A tool for self awareness events people things feelings insights questions experiences with ideas dreams and fantasies The Examen Spiritual Exercises Thank God for all gifts Ask […]

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by Dwayne Phillips I learn what a technical writer does (now that I are one). I have been working in a job titled “technical writer” for about a month now. I wasn’t sure what that job title meant or what a technical writer actually does. After an entire month or so, I have concluded that […]

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by Dwayne Phillips Sometimes the best thing to do as a writer is to skip the difficult parts and only do the easy things. Writers, why kill yourself? Write the easy stuff first. You may learn how to write the difficult stuff in the process. And then best of all, you may decide that the […]

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by Dwayne Phillips Contrary to popular belief, length and effort in writing are inversely—not directly—proportional. In writing, length and effort are inversely proportional. Writing short, brief, to-the-point pieces require more effort than writing long, wandering pieces.Of course we know this, but often forget it. I once worked on a career description at work. I worked […]

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by Dwayne Phillips Tips from Marion Roach Smith. I recently finished reading The Memoir Project: A Thoroughly Non-Standardized Text for Writing & Life. Here are a few tips from the book. This is an x and the illustration is y. Much of the book uses this formula. For example, this is a piece of humor, […]

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by Dwayne Phillips Late in life, I discover the best pencil and sharpener in the world. This isn’t high tech stuff. It is embarrassing how low tech it is and still be incredibly useful. Best pencil in the world? Palomino Blackwing 602. Best pencil sharpener in the world? The Blackwing Long Point Sharpener. What causes […]

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