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by Bryce Musser

In my Editing Technical Documents class, I have learned about different editing levels, concise writing, and technical document structure. I have also developed skills in tracking and comparing changes in Microsoft Word, as well as experimenting with the drafting tool Draftsmith to help revise content.

Discovering the Levels of Editing

After learning more about editing through exploring our instructional content, I was surprised to discover that there are distinct levels of editing. We focused on three: Structural Editing addresses big-picture content organization; Copyediting refines language for accuracy and consistency; and Proofreading corrects formatting and minor errors after final document production. I never knew what the plain term “editing” fully encompassed, and I have always wondered if there were formal levels to the process.

I was also interested to learn that editors are considered intermediaries, which was surprising since editing often seems like a basic skill taught in grade school. According to “A Descriptive Survey of Technical Editors,” by Melinda Kreth and Elizabeth Bowen, many professional technical editors started their careers in other fields. Reading through this really opened my eyes because I came into this course with a digital media background, rather than a background in editing.

Practicing Editing Tools and Techniques

To put these concepts into practice, I learned how to use Microsoft Word’s Track Changes feature and its compare tool for when track changes are not available, and I experimented with the text suggestion features in Draftsmith.

When I first started using Track Changes, it felt tricky because the feature was unfamiliar. Once I became comfortable navigating it, it wasn’t challenging at all, though I wish I had known how to use it for past writing assignments. The compare tool was equally easy to navigate, allowing me to view “before” and “after” edits side-by-side.

I also found the text suggestion tool exciting because I felt like it provided me great suggestions, and I even practiced using different tones of voice with the editor as a technique and even practiced using active voice to help reduce word count.

Applying Key Concepts to My Career Goals

The most meaningful pieces of content I learned that are most helpful for my career goals have been learning about Audience and Tone, as well as Development and Organization in our textbook chapters.

I find these grammar lessons to be very meaningful for my career because I would like to become a Technical Writer, and grammar is just as important as the content itself when writing about technical subjects. If I cannot learn how to write grammatically while also respecting the audience, then I will not be successful in a career as a Technical Writer.

I was particularly fascinated by learning how to place content based on the relationship you have with your audience, such as writing to a co-worker or to a group of students you have never met before. I also thought learning about how to use a balanced tone of voice is most helpful depending on your audience, and simplifying language to write more concisely, which is something that I struggle with. I also need to simplify language while keeping the main message intact, so I can write in a straightforward way that addresses what I am writing about.

By mastering these techniques, I can ensure that I am successful in a technical writing career and be a successful writer.