Brainstorming and Storyboarding

The whole idea of “brainstorming” is to get ideas on paper. No particular order or structure, just get them ideas down. All you need is a quiet room, a clock, and pencil and paper. The procedure is simple: think about the subject and write down every idea that pops into your head within a set time.

Tech-Writer. Articles>Writing>Workflow

Calling for Backup

Writers, of course, seldom find themselves in life-and-death situations. However, the way in which a writing project is managed can often mean the difference between a project’s failure and success. For writers managing a project, obtaining backup consists of two issues: making sure someone can continue your work if something prevents you from doing so yourself; and knowing how to get help when you can’t keep your head above water.

Holland, Anton. Writer's Block (1995). Articles>Writing>Workflow

Making Product Information an Integral Part of the Development Process  

Document inspections formalize the document review process and encourage the full participation of technical developers in the documentation development process. A document inspection consists of three parts: a briefing meeting, a desk review, and a recording meeting. At the briefing meeting, you state your requirements for the inspection process. During the desk review, the technical developers review your document. At the recording meeting, you review the comments made by the technical developers, and as a group decide on appropriate resolutions.

Hildebrand-Lund, Ruth. STC Proceedings (1996). Articles>Documentation>Workflow>Technical Writing

Technical Assistance for Writers in the Workplace: Some Heuristic Uses of Professional Writing Techniques in a Multiauthor Writing Process     

Linda Flower's work serves as the basis for devising writing technical assistance in three case studies of multiauthor reports. One major barrier to audience-based writing, planning—and, hence, producing readable text—is the writer-based structure embodied in a project's work program. Writing technical assistance can help displace this structure by various means, including collaborative writing. But the interaction between the two activities basic to writing—creating specific audience-based goals and devising a new hierarchical structure for content knowledge—remains unclear in theory and in practice.

Baker, Linda. Technical Communication Online (1996). Articles>Collaboration>Workflow>Writing

The Technical Writing Process  

The technical writing process consists of four phases: planning, writing, delivery and archiving. The phases of the technical writing process are not necessarily discrete. You might start the writing phase before you complete the planning stage, for example, or you might have to deliver the documentation before you feel it is finished. It is highly unlikely, however, that you will ever archive the documentation before you deliver it! Some products are released several times. In this situation, you might be in the delivery phase of the first iteration of the project while you are in the planning phase of the second iteration. Don't panic: overlap in the technical writing process is quite normal.

Docsymmetry (2003). Articles>Documentation>Workflow>Technical Writing

Using Style Sheets

Style sheets supplement the style manual (if there is one). You might also use one to summarise vital information for your own reference or to give to an editor. Record on a style sheet any decisions made for a particular product or publication.

Hollis Weber, Jean. Technical Editors Eyrie (1999). Articles>Writing>Workflow

Flow to Done: Tap Into Your Creative Source 

What is flow? It’s kind of like a river of writing, it’s an uninterrupted stream of consciousness directly from the source of your creativity through your brain, into your nervous system, out your hands, into your computer. I like to think of it as zen writing meditation. There is some important prep work that needs to be done before you’re ready for some serious writing flow time.

Bogue, Everett. Write to Done (2009). Articles>Writing>Advice>Workflow

How to Stop Digital Fiddling and Start Writing 

Are you prone to digital fiddling? I am. In fact, I’ve increased my skills of digital fiddling so much that I hardly notice that I’m putting off writing. There are three actions you need to take.

Jaksch, Mary. Write to Done (2009). Articles>Writing>Advice>Workflow

Four Keys to Writing Quickly 

Writing quickly is a skill that you should definitely cultivate. This blog post looks at four techniques that you can use when you need to write quickly.

Nesbitt, Scott. ScottNesbitt.net (2009). Articles>Writing>Advice>Workflow