Salmagundi within Documentation

According to Meriam Webster, Salmagundi is:

1. A salad plate of chopped meats, anchovies, eggs, and vegetables arranged in rows for contrast and dressed with a salad dressing

2. a heterogeneous mixture : POTPOURRI

Salmagundi is also a name of various publications throughout the years. But I don't want to turn this post into a salmagundi. So, I digress.

While salmagundi might be a tasty dish, it doesn't taste good in documentation. Unfortunately, salmagundis are a common problem within documentation. Salmagundis obscure, confuse, and can lose the reader. They're bad, especially when your reader needs to learn critical information. What do I mean by salmagundis in documentation?

It's when documentation goes onto over-technical tangents or tries to cram too much information into one document, especially if it's irrelevant information. So much so, you end up with a technical word salad. But sadly, this is the state of much technical documentation out there. I can't count how many times I've seen this be the case. So how do we avoid creating technical documentation salmagundi? Here are some tips. They're not exhaustive but they should help.

Know Your Audience

This is the key to start your documentation. If you know your audience, you'll know how much information to include, how much to leave out, and what kind of information you need to write.

Know What You're Documenting in 1 Sentence

If you understand what you're documenting, this makes a big difference. If you can sum up what you're documenting in one sentence, you'll know where to go. For example, if I said "I'm writing about how to make coffee," then this will direct what steps or information that I need to write. 

Focus the Documentation

If you focus on what you're documenting, this reduces the chances of it becoming a technical word salad. You'll know what points you want to write about. For example, if I were to create a user manual on how to run coffee maker, I'm only going to show you on how to run the coffee maker. I'll include some troubleshooting tips. I might even include the suggested amount of coffee for each scoop to put into a filter. But nothing beyond that. If we don't focus our documentation, we'll get lost in our writing. And that won't be helpful to anyone.

Leave Out Irrelevant Information

This is an extension to the previous point. But it's worth noting. When you write a document, you need to leave out the irrelevant information. You can overwrite by including every tidbit of information about something. But you risk confusing your readers, especially if the information is irrelevant. 

Back to the coffee maker example, I'm not going to mention how the coffee maker was made or what kind of roast would be best. Or even, how to store your coffee. All these points are irrelevant on how to use the machine. You only need to know how to run the coffee maker. Anything else confuses audience or distract from you need to know. 

There will never be an end to the information you can bring up. But a lot of it is neither relevant nor helpful to your reader. So if strays from the point of the document, leave it out! Once you finish writing the document, look through it again and cut what irrelevant information that remains.

I love what Mark Twain once said about books. And I believe it applies to documentation. Twain said:

"A successful book is not made of what is in it, but of what is left out of it."

Consider Multiple Documents

Now there are times when you need to cover a lot of information. Just listing steps to your reader might not give them the whole picture about a product or service. If you run into this situation, then consider writing multiple documents. 

So if someone goes through the steps to run a coffee maker but needs to know to grind coffee beans and store them, then write two other documents. One is how to grind the coffee beans. The other would be best practices to store the coffee beans. Breaking down in smaller, more focused chucks goes a long way.

Especially now, when a lot of documentation is digital. You can write short documents and hyperlink them to each other. So, if a reader needs to find further information, they can go to the document that's relevant to them instead of thumbing or scrolling through one big document to find it. 

When I first started technical writing, we would jam as much information as we could into one document. We would sometimes break it into a couple of volumes. But we were doing this because of printing costs. But now, creating digital documents is a fraction of that cost. Sometimes, you can create digital documentation for free. So, there's no excuse to jam everything into one huge document, especially if you only write digital documents. So break up the documentation into easily, digestible information. 

These tips should help keep the documentation focused like a themed dish instead of a salmagundi. It won't be perfect because no documentation is. But, it should go a long way. Keep on writing.

We'll Hang up Our Pens Someday

Recently, Pat Buchanan said he was retiring his long running column. This blog is beyond the scope of politics, so I'm not interested in discussing Pat's stances one way or the other. I'm interested in this angle: We writers, regardless of our stripes, will someday hung up our pens. 

We will someday write the last book, last blog, last technical documentation, the last copy, the last whatever we do. We will all someday write our last word. 

If you say, I'm not hanging up my pen ever, well you don't have a choice. There might come a day where you're no longer able to write or you'll draw your last breath. In any case, you'll be hanging up your pen.

The reality is our writing pursuits and career have an expiration date. But we don't have to dread this impending end. If anything, it should give us more focus to write, since we only have so much time. One thing we can stop because it's an emotional waste of time is self-wallowing. You never be good as any other writer because you can't. All of us are different. Comparing each other doesn't go anywhere. So, don't do it! Also, if you keep talking about writing but don't write, then you need to make a decision. Is writing important to you? If so, write. If not, move on to something else. Writing isn't a glamorous pursuit. It's a hard road. To me, for now, it's worth it.

Finally, when we write we need to decide why we are writing. What's our focus and why. What's your passion? For me, I like technical writing because I like to help others and I want to bring glory to God through it. I'm planning to do this until God calls me to do otherwise, He returns, or I draw my last breath. While I still can, I want create the best documentation that I know how. 

So, write while you still can and know why you do it. We'll all have to hung up our pens, so make it count. 

Technical Writing Isn't Boring

I once saw a movie where an editor insulted a writer over her manuscript for a book and said she needed to write user manuals. I was incensed when I saw that and jeered at the editor. (Maybe I'm exaggerating but I did say "excuse me?" at the character.) 

It's funny because that actually happened to me in a previous writing life as a journalist, where an editor told me that I was better off as a technical writer.

Whether it's in movies or in real life, there seems to be a sentiment that technical writing is boring. It's sleepy. It's dull. It's lifeless. Really?! 

How's it boring when you get a chance to always learn something new, whether it's entirely new product or an update? How's it boring when you can get a chance to write for different industries or subjects? One of the benefits of technical writing is you can always expand your knowledge base.  Boring is if your mind is stagnant.

How's it boring that you get help people through your writing? You can get a sense of fulfillment knowing that you helped someone accomplish a new task. 

If you write documentation just right, it can be like one of those videogame walkthroughs. The genius of a walkthrough is that you get to go on a journey through the videogame and the purpose is that you help someone through the game. It's the same with documentation, just without the commentary or shouting. Taking someone on a journey explaining a product or service might be draining but not boring. Boring is just remaining on Step 1. Technical writing takes steps 1,2,3, and beyond till the end.

How's it boring when you can meet different Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to help you get the technical information you need to write the documentation? Boring is when you completely rely on own imagination, thoughts, and view. Your writing can get pretty stale, pretty fast, so it becomes boring. 

I met SMEs from across the globe and from all walks of life. Their takes on things and their knowledge has always helped me. The documentation usually turns out better than I could imagine, even if I couldn't see it at the time I was creating a document. Why? Collaboration is what can give technical writing life. 

And if you write in active voice and clear and concise prose, it's anything but lifeless. Passive voice and verbose sentences are the bane of technical writing. They not only confuse and muddle but are lethargic and vapid. So we need inject the syntax with active, concise language to bring life to documentation. 

Clear information isn't boring. Boring is stuffy text, pontificating or rambling on to whatever it was about. And you get lost what we're reading, or in my case, you just fall asleep.

Writing documentation like a flowing river won't put your reader or you to sleep like a meandering creek might. 

Well, maybe a white paper on some theoretical concepts might put me sleep. But for others this keeps them up all night. You can have white papers that are engaging reads.

Technical writing can be hard, frustrating, draining. Boring? Don't think so.

Perseverance Instead

I remember a martial artist, who is a master of his art, once told his students that he didn't get to his belt rank because he was any good. He shook his head as he spoke to them. No, rather he got to his level because he didn't give up. He encouraged his students to do the same.

I appreciate those who tell others to perservere. This is the only way to get better at anything, even with technical writing.

 

I didn't get to the level of where I'm at as a technical writer because I'm any good. Far from it. I don't think I'm a good writer. I didn't get to it because I'm smart. I don't think I'm that intelligent. I only got to my level of technical writing because God kept providing opportunity after opportunity and I preserved, even when I didn't know what my next gig was. 

Anyone can become a technical writer but not everyone remains one. Anyone can persevere when something's easy. But that's not true perseverance. It only becomes true perseverance when it's hard.

Technical writing can be difficult, gruelling, and thankless. It feels like you can't write anything when your documentation gets picked apart. But before you slump into despair and give up, remember these difficulties can help you grow. You can't get better as a technical writer unless you know what to improve from. That's why feedback is important. Improving your technical writing only comes through mistake after mistake. You just have to persevere. Only this road of perseverance can help you become a stronger writer.  Once you get to the other side of the troubles, you'll see how they helped you grow until the next storm. Each storm is worth going through, if you want to get better.

But before you rush into a storm, count the cost. Is technical writing worth it? It can be demoralizing at times. But it can also be rewarding. If you feel technical writing is a worthy trade, then keep going no matter what. Otherwise, look for something else instead.

I find technical writing a worthy calling. I love to write and structure information. I also love to help those in need. For me, technical writer combines those two together. 

Until God calls me to do something else, I'll keep persevering. And if you're a technical writer, who's on the ropes, don't give up either. You're not alone. I've been there and it's eventual that I'll end up on the ropes again. We all end up there. It won't be the first time nor the last time till we hang up our pens, pads, and keyboards. If you don't think you can hang on, then ask God to help you persevere. He will help you get through. He has helped and continues to do so. Don't give up.

Collaborate, Collaborate, Collaborate

Someone recently asked me if a technical writer is someone who collaborates with SMEs and takes technical jargon to make it into plain, easy-to-understand language. I responded with a resounding yes. They were happy with this response because others have told them otherwise. 

I don't understand why some are trying to change the definition of a technical writer. If I had to venture a guess, it might be they're trying to make a technical writer "a more valuable" role. But these changes tend to be (not always) counterinituitive, confusing, and overstepping. And, if you keep changing the definition, the role of technical writer ceases to be.

It's true we technical writers might do more than what this person asked me. I have. But at the heart of technical writing, besides writing concise, clear sentences, is collaboration, collaboration, collaboration.

Collaboration with the SMEs is the lifeblood of technical writing. Everything flows from this effort. Without it, you have no documentation. (Or at best, stilted, inaccurate, and myopic ones.) 

This type of writing is a joint effort. Unless you're creating the tool by yourself, you don't make up text out of the thin air. Technical writing is based something else greater than the writing itself. And someone almost always has created this something else. So your job as a technical writer is to collaborate with that someone, also known as a SME, to take that technical information of this something they created to make it clear, so your audience can easily understand it. 

As a technical writer, you not only have to continuously sharpen your writing skills but also master the art of collaboration. This skill many lack. When you can collaborate well with others, you've already added greater value to your role. How well anyone can collaborate can make or break documentation (or even an organization itself).

The challenge is taking other perspectives on the same information and present it in a unifying voice through documentation. But that's also the fun and rewarding part. 

Through collaboration, you end up creating something better you can imagine. We're only limited by our own thinking. So when we work with others, it expands our mind to where we can take the documentation. And when you publish a document, it should not just give us a sense of accomplishment but also help us stay grounded and humble, since it's a team effort.

You have to lay aside your ego as a technical writer. Otherwise, you have no business being a technical writer. If anyone is telling you otherwise, especially if they come from within our circles, we need to push back and say no. 

Benefits of technical writing

This post is aimed at either those who are thinking about becoming a technical writer or are new at it. But if you're also a seasoned vet, feel free to come along for the ride too.

The following shows how technical writing can help you become a stronger writer. This isn't an exhaustive list. These are just ones that came to mind. 

Improves your writing 

The first benefit of technical writing is that it can improve your writing. When you're constantly documenting, you're constantly writing. And when you're constantly writing, you're constantly getting better. 

Writing is like anything else. To get better, you need to practice, practice, practice.  It's also real world experience to improve your writing. You'll most likely get feedback on what you wrote, so it can help you know how to better document something.

Also, as a technical writer, you need to write succinctly.  Be clear. Be concise. Be straight to the point. Just explain how something works. To become a stronger writer, write in short, clear sentences. Preferably 20 words or less per sentence. Also, write in active voice. If you're explaining how perform a task, use active voice, so it's clear who's performing the action.

Your goal as a technical writer is to clearly communicate a point to your readers. This might seem overwhelming. But don't worry. The more you write, the easier it will get to communicate clearly. Writing will be always be hard work, but you'll know what to do as you gain more experience. 

Reduces or eliminates writer's block

The second benefit of technical writing is it can reduce or eliminate writer's block. What helps in is the fact you have something to write about in front of you. If you have access to a software or a tool, you don't have worry about formulating words out of thin air. You just have to explain how something works based on how it functions. You might also have to describe it, but you don't rely on your imagination. Now, if you don't have access to what you're writing about, make sure you get it.

Once you get an understanding how the tool or software, the words will just flow out. There were times, even I created an outline of a document and interviewed the SME, I didn't have much to say. But after I was able to test and play with the product I'm writing about, the writer's block dissipated.

This seems like an unfair advantage since I have something that's front of me to write about. But anything that gets you past writer's block counts. Let's not assume you must solely rely on your own mind to get pass the blocks. That's not only an unrealistic expectation, that's just false. Any honest writer will admit something outside of themselves helped them overcome writer's block. 

Technical writing just so has it built-in as a profession to overcome writer's block. This built-in remedy is seeking an understanding of what you're trying to write. And if you apply across the board, where you have a clear direction of what you're trying write, you should be overcome the blocks when they come.

Before I became a technical writer, I used to be paralyzed by writer's block constantly. Even when I was a journalist, I struggled to write an article. But now, I can write past the block. Many times, I write way more than I should and I have to prune back quite a bit before I publish. 

Now, we'll always encounter writer's block because we're human. But having a good understanding or direction what you want to write should help you move past it. This leads us to the next benefit.

Organizes your thoughts, even for your creative side

Technical writing can help you organize how you write information. 

When you're explaining how a product works, you'll explain it in a logical order. For example, if I had to explain how to use a wind-up toy car, I would say something like this:

1. Remove the car out from the package.

2. Place the car on a smooth surface.

3. While on the surface, hold the car and turn the wind-up key clockwise until it's fully wound.

4. Let go of the car. 

Explaining things in a logical order wouldn't just apply a set of instructions in a document. You'll be able to structure the doc in a logical order. And if there are a set of related docs, you'll be able to structure them in a way it makes sense.

This is not something you will be able to pick up overnight. The more you understand the product or service you're writing about, the easier it will become to organize content and documentation in a logical order. Being able to map out documentation is key to becoming a solid technical writer.

This benefit isn't confined to technical writing. You can use in other forms of writing, such as novel writing. If you can map out a novel, you can increase your chances in finishing it. (Pantsing a novel is good too. That's my favored approach with first drafts. But if you struggle with writer's block, then mapping might be better.) 

The difference between writing and great writing is not the words themselves, but how you arrange them. 

Better see big picture and details

This fourth benefit also doesn't come immediately; it just emerges. As you understand what you're writing about, you'll start forming a holistic approach to documentation. If there are a set of products or services, you'll start forming mental links between them and creating a documentation chain how they fit together. And as you deepen your understanding of these products and services, you can see how they can benefit your customers. And once you see this bigger picture, you'll have a better grasp on how to write the documentation. Then, the quality of the documentation improves.

As for the details, it too just emerges over times. At first, you might start off just catching grammatical or stylistic issues from either Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), fellow technical writers, if there are others, or yourself. But as you go, you might start noticing other details, such as wonkiness in the User Interface (UI), the pictures or code examples don't reflect what's in the text, or the product or service doesn't do what's supposed to. 

Once you get more in tuned with what you're writing about, your eye for details sharpens. You're not going to be perfect, because no human or even machine is. So, toss that unrealistic expectation into the trash. But, you'll pick up on stuff that's off-kilter. By having an eyes for details where you can tell those who create the product or service if you see something, you might make a difference in improving how your organization can serve their customers.

Focuses your writing 

I love this quote from Mark Twain about what makes a successful book:

"A successful book is not made of what is in it, but what is left out of it."

We can also apply this to technical writing, which leads us to the fifth benefit.  Technical writing can help you focus your writing.

Once you know you understand your audience, you can focus what information you want to include in your documentation. For example, if you there's a screen capture tool and it's for a typical user, you will only include step-by-step instructions on how to take a screenshot. You wouldn't any technical details or backend information about this tool. Now, let's say I had to write documentation about this same tool for backend developers, then I wouldn't include the step-by-step instructions on creating a screenshot. Instead, I would probably create an API documentation for this tool.

Great writing isn't just simply the words or how you organize them. It's also what you include and what left out. It's about focus. This is why knowing your audience matters.  

Always learning something new

This last benefit is built into technical writing. As you document a tool or service, you learn something new about it works. Even if there are no new products or services to document, you learn something new through upgrades, revisions, or updates of these existing products or services. When there's something new to learn, this can keep your writing fresh and further deepens what you know. As you deepen your understanding, your writing also deepen. 

I've never felt technical writing gets stale because you can become this ever-expanding knowledge base of information.

The learning never stops, you just choose to stop learning.

Highs and lows but still good

I can say more but I think you get the picture.

Technical writing has had its highs and lows with me, even times when I want to be done with it. But it's the style of writing that I enjoy. I get to write, help others by explaining something to them, and get paid well for doing this. Sounds like a good deal for me. 

I've become a stronger writer from technical writing. I still enjoy it, even after all these years. I continue to get stronger as I go along. Lord willing, I'll continue with technical writing. And I hope you either jump into the technical writing world or will continue with it too.

Hard at times

Throughout my journey as a technical writer, I've encountered other technical writers who fall under a few camps. The following is not an exhaustive list. One camp is they're passionate about technology or the industry they're writing about. Another camp is they use technical writing as a springboard for career advancement. A third camp is it's just a job for them. Finally, they're ones who are passionate about writing. 

Typically, I've encountered technical writers that are in the first camp or seem to be in this one. That's great for them. But I don't fall under the first camp. It's hard at times to be passionate about technology or industries. These subjects are interesting but they get old eventually. Also, it just comes back to making money, regardless they spin it. Now, there's nothing wrong with making money. I like to make money too. And I believe in free-enterprise, if it still exist and if it's done by honest and just means. But life is more than just making money. 

I don't care to use technical writing as a springboard. I'm content as a technical writer. So when corporate well-to-dos ask me where do you see yourself in blah, blah, blah, it's like I'm talking with someone from another planet. (Now, I wouldn't mind speaking with extraterrestrials.) Why would leave creating documentation for some middle management position? No thanks. Not a good trade for me.

Technical writing isn't just a job for me either. It's a craft. But it's also not my life. God and my family are. So, this leads me to the last camp, which seems to be the smallest based on my travels. But I don't like to write for writing's sake. So, I don't completely fit this camp either. I love to write with a purpose. If there's no clear purpose, then I don't want to spend the energy to write. I don't find it a good use of my time.

So, if I'm not passionate about technology or industry, "career advancement", or for writing's sake, then why I do it? I'm a technical writer for three reasons. One, I like to write. Two, I like to help others.  Three, I like to find a good way to provide for a family. As far as I know, technical writing is the best way to combine these three passions together. 

Whether we should be inundated with technology or ruled by industries is another conversation that I may address someday in this blog. But for now, I'm just here to help guide others through the informational and technological labyrinths. My desire to write and help others is what drives me to understand these subjects, so I can write about them well. And my desire to provide for my family fuels my technical writing journey to continue, even though God is the One who really provides. I'm just here to follow His lead on the means, even though sadly I've gotten in His way to do so many times.

So when others ask me about what tools to do documentation or get into debates which one is better, I don't care. I can tell you pros and cons of tools I've used, but it's not a hill for me fight and die on. I will use whatever tools I have available to create good documents. 

I care more about the bigger picture: Creating clear and accurate documents for the intended audience. I'm more interested in what makes good documentation than certain toolsets. I find too many technical writers or higher ups get hung up on the latter rather than the former. What is the point of tools if documentation is confusing, wrong, or overwhelming? Let's stick to good documentation principles and rest will follow.

Maybe I'm in the wrong field. Maybe technical writing is really for technophiles and corporatocrats. Maybe I'm just an anomaly, but that's thinking too highly of myself. Maybe I should look elsewhere. If there were a better place for me, then I'll go there. Maybe if I could just speak better and verbally explain how something work, I would ditch the writing thing. Writing is great but also very painful and draining. But this kind of thinking like this is fruitless and wasteful. For now, unless God makes it clear, I'll stay here in this technical writing game.

God gave me a gift and I will use it to glorify Him by writing clear, accurate, and easy-to-follow information so others can understand. I spent far beyond enough years doubting whether God gave me this gift and skill, so I can hone it. I'll go with it till I can go on no more. In the meantime, I'll keep on writing in the tech world.