Getting into a rhythm when writing is always good and can lead to a lot of great content. However, it is important that we do not lose sight of our audience throughout this process. This begins to happen when we stop using specific nouns.
Here are a couple of examples:
- As we begin to write we refer to the main PLC as the infrastructure controller. One subheading and five paragraphs later this might become the PLC, or the controller. In our rhythm we know exactly what we mean. The audience, however, is now questioning whether this is the proprietary controller, or the third party’s controller, or the main high level PLC.
- A long functional specification section will outline various Vessel Service Feeder interfaces. But after a few paragraphs and subheadings we may only be referring to feeder interfaces. The audience might now be wondering if this is the ground and pre-mag feeder, drilling feeder, or the thruster feeder.
Clarity is a key fundamental in technical writing. The frequent use of consistent specific nouns helps us achieve that.