Tech Biz Writing

An article is a compact piece of writing with a central point or theme. The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines it as “a literary composition forming part of a magazine etc., but independent.”

Articles tend to be shorter than they were in the more spacious days before television, the emphasis now being on fact as opposed to literary composition. Writers, therefore, must set out to convey their message succinctly and in an interesting way.

The writing of technical articles is a relatively low-paid business, centred mainly on the trade press. It does, however, require accuracy and organization on the part of the writer. Some degree of motivation coupled with persistence is needed for success. And yet it is probably the easiest of the print marketplaces to break into. Technical expertise is half the battle; writing skills and techniques come second.

Technical articles range from pure journalism of the interesting angle and “hook” variety, to highbrow scientific reports on new theories or experiments. In between there are the articles written for the publications of companies, professional bodies and, with a little extra flair, for technical magazines and trade papers.

Periodicals like Nature and Scientific American concentrate on state of the art research, and the pieces are usually written by the scientists involved. New Scientist, on the other hand, presents informed articles by technical journalists in a more user-friendly manner. The huge growth in computer mags and ezines is a newer outlet for writers with some knowledge of the business. The free trade papers like Computing or Datalink, are written mainly by staff journalists with a high degree of computer literacy.

If you are particularly interested in pursuing this field, there are a few publications worth noting: The Writer’s Handbook, published annually by Macmillan, gives listings of periodicals and publishers, with relevant information from the writer’s point of view. The Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook from A.C. Black is similarly disposed. Willing’s Press Guide is a more journalistic publication, but is the complete run-down on the press.

Two points emerge in any breakdown of article writing:

* Organization: The material should be constructed and presented in a way which allows the reader maximum access to the author’s meaning and data.

* Readability: The article should be written in such a way as to maintain the reader’s interest throughout. Well-worn clichés and the Latinisms of NASA-speak should be avoided.

Most technical writing is produced to specification. In practice this means that fairly rigid rules are laid down at the outset, and a house-style prevents any rush of blood to the head. An article, by its nature, is a personal product, reflecting the interests and personality of the writer, and in that sense, it differs from most other technical writing.

All good writers acquire a particular style. All good articles develop their own momentum. Article writing is best learned by making a thorough study of a wide range of published pieces, especially in the area for which the writing is intended. Let’s now look at those two key elements of article writing.

Organization Good organization means that the information content of the piece is unfolded logically, perhaps in a narrative or chronological form, to aid the reader’s understanding and assimilation of the material. For instance, it is usually right to move from overview to detail, from the general to the particular. If the data is sequenced in time, it helps to present it in chronological order. If the material is largely philosophical or conceptual in nature, the author must use some skill in the logical transmission of argument, as well as having a deep knowledge of the subject.

Readability In any discussion of readability we are confronted with many imponderables. Readability touches on style, which impinges on taste, which moves us into areas not normally associated with technical writing. Although scientific terminology is stuffed with Greek/Latin abstractions, most authors agree that plain Anglo-Saxon words work best. In the end, writers have to decide. But it’s the reader who determines whether they will be employed again.

Next: 8. Technical Sales Literature.

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 20th, 2006 at 9:43 am and is filed under Technical Writing, Business Writing, Publishing, Syntagma Media. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.