28: A Lot of Wish Fulfillment
Laura Lemay, a technical writer and author of the 'Teach Yourself ... in 21 Days' series (including HTML and Java), discusses the evolution of technical writing, the challenges of documenting APIs, and the importance of clear code. She explains how developer-focused technical writers must understand source code to effectively interview engineers and push back on inconsistent APIs. Lemay also shares her experience with NaNoWriMo, her struggles with perfectionism in science fiction writing, and the value of Edward Tufte’s work on information design for engineers.