Can technical writing suck less?

Question

I currently have the prospect of writing a considerable amount of technical documentation (describing interactions with an extremely complex online service). I consider myself a reasonably proficient creative writer but that never seems to do me any good when writing tech docs. The problem, of course, is the dryness. You can't explore the feelings and emotions of the Chromecast when it betrays the TV. It has to be 1. plug in 2. connect 3. watch. There is the very (extremely) informal approach to documentation that a lot of consumer goods acquire but I often find those a little cringeworthy. So is there a way to write technical documentation that doesn't put you to sleep, but also treat the reader like a three year old. Is there a way to write 1. plug in 2. connect 3. watch. that the reader can feel engaged by. Is it possible to marry technical writing and creative writing successfully. I would be very curious to see any examples that you think might have solved this problem.

Answer 1

As the author of nearly a hundred technical and training manuals over the past 40-odd years, I feel your pain. But the good news is...yes, it is possible to inject creativity and humanity into even the most toad-stoolish subject. The trick lies in how you manipulate English (or whatever medium you are using) to create a particular cognitive language dialogue between you and the intended recipient of your knowledge. In other words, create an image of the process to which the reader can relate. You can contact me through Wyzant for detailed and specific examples.

Steve