With the exception of my module 6 assignment, I have yet to do a thorough rewrite on any content I’ve written for this course or, if memory serves me, any of the technical documentation I’ve written over the years. I do rewrite as I compose, testing words and phrases that seem suspect and cutting them when they are irrelevant or don’t ring true. I have saved a few “little darlings” in separate files during this course, but I am sorry to say that their reprieve will likely be short-lived. Death to little darlings! I want my file directory clutter-free.
As a technical writer, I was accustomed to having an editor review my work and catch my mistakes. I performed this same function for other writers on my team. It’s easier to see others’ mistakes than your own, research shows, because writers see what they intended to write rather than what they actually did write. Revisiting a document the next day, time permitting, usually brings the errors to light. So does pressing the Send button in your email application. After sending your email, you can see your errors in bold relief by rereading the message in your Sent box. It’s too late to do anything then but explain or apologize profusely, or both. The advantages are a rush of adrenaline, which many people seek out through extreme sports, and office drama leading to another adrenaline rush.
Seriously, though, I am willing to forego these benefits to enjoy the greater rewards of writing quality content. I know my cut-as-you-go process is insufficient for achieving that end. I must take the advice of Zinsser and others to set aside time for writing daily to see my work improve. That’s the tricky part. Oh, yes, and then there’s the writing.
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