What is it about an online article that makes people forward it on to their acquaintances?  Is it a feel good story? Practical advice? The unexpected?

According to a recently concluded study of the New York Times  all three play a factor, but the most important element is whether or not a story can evoke a feeling of awe.

There is no science to evoking awe, but there are some patterns that you can look for.

• Does your writing evoke a feeling of vastness, that there is something greater than you and your reader?
• Does your article tell the reader …
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Technical writing is about procedures and steps in order.  Not all technical writing is about technology. Recipes are technical writing: they’re steps in order, right?  You’ll really mess up the souffle if you put in the Gruyere before you whip the egg whites.

Consider these best practices of technical writing in your every day written communication:

Give warnings up front.
If the sentence contains if,  start the sentence with it.  Most people don’t read instructions completely; they prefer to act rather than to read. Force them to pay attention. They will thank you.

Notice the improvement from the first example to the second:

• Click the …
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