OpEd

Creative Technical Writing

Especially in the Seattle/Eastside area, many "creative" writers work as technical writers. Some people perceive creative writers and technical writers as opposites. Where's the creativity in writing software documentation or online help? The information isn't really your own-it usually belongs to an engineer or a developer. The technical writer's goal is not to entertain, but to educate or provide a service for a user who is in need. The majority of users don't read documentation or are not too happy about reading it due to its reputation for being dry and confusing. This can be frustrating and non-motivating, stunting the creative flow and enthusiasm writers feed on.

"I have found that I often have to be more creative when writing a manual than when writing fiction...in fiction I can manipulate the world as I see fit. If something doesn't work, I can go back and change it. In tech writing, I am not in control of the product I'm writing about. Therefore, I have to make the totally unreasonable sound like it is not only reasonable, but wonderful."
—Maria Townsley, technical writer in Ohio.

There are probably no characters, plots, or dialogue in your technical document. You probably don't have the freedom to find your creative niche in a park along Lake Union on a sunny day. You're probably confined to an office or cubicle, without windows. So, if all the creative devices you usually employ to motivate yourself to write are removed, what can you do to keep interested in the subject and feel fulfilled as a creative being?

"There's an element of creativity involved in finding ways of organizing complex information so it is easier to understand and make use of."
—Tim Lulofs, technical writer at Telecordia Technologies (from the Chronicle of Higher Education)

A large part of creativity is problem solving. When you're working on a sonnet or short story, it may not feel like the same kind of problem solving involved with writing the end-user documentation for a complex piece of software. In fact, creating foreign settings, believable characters, or rearranging the lines of your poem so the meter is pleasing to your ear may not feel like problem solving at all. But, it is. You can use this same kind of energy when organizing a document, so that the reader-who is frustrated from software crashing-doesn't take a hammer to her computer. Section juxtaposition can be crucial. Should you place the FAQ section first or last? Should you include certain information? Omit other information? Enjoy the creative process involved with this authority you have over the project.

Related to keeping your reader in mind is writing in a clear, conversational style. You might be tempted to write at a formal level of diction. Your audience might even expect it. But, writing is always a form of expression, not necessarily an exercise of your ability to impress. Be consistent with your tone. Create an aura of assurance for your readers, who may be first time users of the product you're writing for, or extremely frustrated that they were unable to use the product without your instructions. If you can reassure them that they are not stupid and are capable of success, with a little help from you, then your mission is accomplished.

Most importantly, don't stop creating in other areas of your life, be it writing prose or poetry, painting the view of the Cascades from your bedroom window, or throwing your own pottery. "Cross training" creativity feeds off itself and inspires creativity in other areas. Perhaps while you are composing a concerto you'll have a breakthrough about that online help project you've struggled with at work. And, the reverse is true, too. You might be in the middle of a brainstorming session for work, and that evasive last scene for your screenplay will seem obvious. If ever there was a case for you to bring your work home with you, this is it.