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Subject:The Golden Rules From:"David Blyth @second" <dsb -at- ALSYS -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 23 Dec 1994 12:37:34 PST
Chris Benz writes:
>The Golden Rules of Writing
>1. Make it understandable.
>2. Make it consistent, unless that interferes with Rule 1.
>3. Make it grammatically correct, unless that interferes with Rule 1 or 2.
>4. Make it technically correct, unless that interferes with Rule 1, 2, or 3.
I corresponded with Chris on this, and Chris suggested that I commonly
post my own variation of the Tech Writers Golden Rules. Here they are:
My old boss (Hi Kristie!) used to say... "First Truth, then Beauty."
My own variation is:
1) Tell the Truth (Make the material accurate)
2) Tell the Whole Truth (Make the material complete)
3) Tell nothing but the Truth (Talk only about the material)
Merry Christmas!
David (The Man) Blyth
Technical Writer
Alsys (San Diego)
dsb -at- alsys -dot- com
My opinions are not necessarily those of my employer (but they should be).
