Re: on technical writers & fiction

[Mysti Rubert <ms_t -at- pacbell -dot- net>]

One of the problems, IMHO, is that technical writers write and edit at 
the same time (because you never know if a piece is going to get a 
proper edit! at least that's how it feels).

Fiction writers need to wear those caps at different times, especially
during the first draft.  Most of my technical writing could go out on 
first draft with a quick copy edit.  Most of my ficiton writing needs a 
lot of work, because the editor in my head has to nap while I'm 
creating. It took me years to teach her to nap while I need access to

I seem unable to write about technical subjects in fiction, however.
My tech writer just takes over :)

I like David's point that you gotta know what you are writing about.
I humbly suggest that you also have to understand the form, structure,
function and purpose of the different "genres." In tech writing, and to
a certain degree screenwriting, use as few words, as short a words, and 
as invisible a voice as possible. The opposite can be true of fiction, 
and all the other millions of differences too, such as, in tech writing,
you want the reader to intuit your intent, your structure, be able to 
guess where in a doc things might be. In fiction you lie, cheat, and 
obfuscate to carefully control reader response and keep them guessing, 
hopefully one step behind, until the very end.

I know the consumers of our tech writin' output often feel this way, but 
they ain't supposed to :)

Mysti

David Downing wrote: