TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
There are excellent style guides out there already that cover the basics,
so it may not be necessary to re-invent the wheel. The easiest approach
would be to select one that most closely reflects your own preferences and
conventions, and make it the inhouse authority. You can then develop the
company-specific stuff, in which you state, "The Blahblahblah Style Guide
is followed for general grammar and so on...."
We used "Shipley's" at the last place I worked, but I didn't necessarily
agree with everything in it (wasn't my decision to use it). At the moment,
I can't think of any others...this might be a good time to bring up something
I was intending to ask the list anyway.
If writers would take the trouble to email me, or the list, the bibliographical
references for their favourite style guides, I'll compile the biblio. and post
it. If you include a line or two of "review", I'll add those too. It could also
be useful to make clear whether it is "specialty-specific" (i.e. good for
software documenters, news writers, fictions writers, etc.)
I could also compile some stats on most recommended, most reviled, that sort of
thing.
