TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
> > The rules give you something to go
> > back to, and they provide a necessary inertia against
> > the vagaries and ephemera of popular usage.
> They also give you something to rebel against, if that's
> what you're looking for. What's to become of "cutting
> edge," or "avant garde" works if there are no rules to
> violate? How can anything be unconventional if there
> are no conventions?
A mark of sophistication in writing is to knowingly,
and with precision, break rules for some particular
effect.
Another mark of sophistication is to recognize the
difference between knowledgeable rule-breaking and
ignorant or uncaring blundering.
The former might be accused of being "cutting edge"
or "avant garde". . . or maybe just witty.
The latter, well. . . :-)
In general, neither one belongs in tech writing, but
I've seen examples of humorous usage that worked to
convey technical info/instruction, while keeping the
reader's attention. But then, I happen to know that
I fell within the same ethnic and educational parameters
as the people who wrote those documents. . . a . . . minority.
Kevin
--
The following text added by my employer, outside my control:
The information contained in this electronic mail transmission may be
privileged and confidential, and therefore, protected from disclosure. If
you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately
by replying to this message, and then delete it from your computer without
copying or disclosing it.
>
ROBOHELP X5: Featuring Word 2003 support, Content Management, Multi-Author
support, PDF and XML support and much more!
TRY IT TODAY at http://www.macromedia.com/go/techwrl
WEBWORKS FINALDRAFT: New! Document review system for Word and FrameMaker
authors. Automatic browser-based drafts with unlimited reviewers. Full
online discussions -- no Web server needed! http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archiver -at- techwr-l -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
