When I managed a technical writing group I had a standard test I 
administered to applicants. Here is the setup for that test.
You are trying, without much luck, to sell your car. You’re only asking $4,000 and can’t understand why nobody wants it. Finally, someone approaches you and, before you can name your price, announces he wants to buy it for $5,000!
But there is a catch (obviously).
He has never in his life changed one of the round, rubber things. He doesn’t have an ounce of technical knowledge in his body (can’t even remember the name of those six-sided things holding on the round, rubber things). He thinks a trunk is something you pack for a long trip.
So, he is willing to pay $5,000 CASH for the car if you will provide a set of instructions on how to change a tire. (Isn’t that the right name for the round, rubber thing?)
Write a comprehensive set of instructions for changing a tire ON YOUR CAR. Select a format which is easy to follow and helps guide the reader through the procedure. Make it as short or long as necessary to cover the necessary information.
It was surprising how many professional technical writers could not do this properly. One forgot to mention that you had to remove the jack from the trunk. One said jack up the car without having you put the jack in place first.
When you’re giving a set of instructions, you have to cover every step in the proper sequence and, if you’ve never done it before, it’s harder than it sounds.
* * *
For the test above I included some dos and don’ts in the instructions and, for grins and giggles, I’ll show you a few of them so you can have an idea how old this test is.
SCHEDULE
This assignment is due 43 hours from right now. (HINT: Check the clock so you know when it’s due.)
DOs
Use any reference source you wish.
Make as many drafts as you need.
Keep all notes and drafts.
Use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Use a typewriter or word processor to prepare the assignment.
DONTs
The assignment cannot be handwritten nor can you use the services of a secretary, word processing operator, or typist.
* * *
We had, at that time, no computers and all the technical writers wrote everything longhand on legal pads and then turned it in to our word processing operators to be typed. Somewhat different than today, huh?
This Week’s Challenge:
Let’s see if you’ll make a good technical writer. Write a set of step-by-step instructions on how to do something. What? Anything you want, but I’d ask that you include at least five steps. If you’re stalled for ideas, I stuck in a few down below.
This one lends itself more to prose, but I can see how you could put the steps in a poem. If you’re artistic enough -- go for it.
Ideas:
Use my exam above and write a set of instructions for changing a tire.
How about someone detailing how to post an article or photo on Gather.
I can’t wrap packages worth a darn, please give me instructions on how to do it.
Want a challenge? Tell me how to change a light bulb.
Something close to my heart: tell me how to clean a rifle.
Hmm, I just got a new cast-iron skillet. How do I season it?
Recap:
Great submissions this week. Because these writers took the time to write something, I’d appreciate it if you’d take the time to read them -- you’ll be rewarded by some really great reading.
A Bit About Nothing - Satwe, Week of April 24 by Elsie Duggan
Believe in the Big Forever (Saturday Writing Essential) by Ruthi C.
Her Laugh - - Saturday Writing Essential by Michael Fishman
Lottery Fever (Saturday Writing Essential) by Len Maxwell
Pickles (Saturday Writing Essential) by dreya y.
Purely Suffer - Ghandi's ideas of nonviolence in my poem by Carol Keefer
The Little Tadpole (Saturday Writing Essential) by Karen R.
Why I Won't Discuss Politics on Gather - (Saturday Writing Essential) by Louise P.
The Rules:
- Write a set of step-by-step instructions detailing how to do something (prose or poetry). There must be at least five steps in whatever procedure you’re explaining.
- There is a limit of three submissions from each member per day. If you’re extremely prolific, spread out your work and post only three submissions per day.
- Post to Gather Writing Essential.
- Tag your submission with SatWE.
- Include (Saturday Writing Essential) as part of your title.
- I ask that you make your submission(s) by next Friday afternoon.
Good Writing!
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Comments: 53
Step 2: Do the first thing on the list.
Read and repeat.
Thank you for sharing this with The Surreal Circus.
Thank you for sharing with Gather's Best.
I'm hoping that Gather's Best's writers can come up with some really good things.
Thank you for sharing with Not Gathering Dust
(1) Borrow a blender from Charlie Chimpanzee;
(2) Distract old Giovanni Giraffe before you quickly liberate a ripe banana from his roadside fruit stall;
(3) Peel the banana and throw the skin to Harriet Hippopotamus for her to add to her post-modern Bananarama 3D sculpture;
(4) Stuff the banana into the blender already filled with fermented coconut milk and turn it on to high speed;
(5) Pour it into a chilled glass, carefully stir - but do not shake - and hand it to me to thoroughly test drive ... rinse the glass and put it back on the shelf before Jane finds out that you've broken the blender again.
Other than that Jane would probably be happy that her kitchen was clean.
Oops... With the insanely variety of phones in the market, how do you tell any one individual how to speed dial?
I bow before good technical writers. That kind of writing requires a clarity of mind that fiction writers would do well to practice.
I'm weird enough, honest, I am; I think I could get at least five steps in there somehow.
Every thing I do here on SatWE is designed to get writers to stretch themselves and attack areas they've never before explored. I agree that technical writers have their own niche, but it's the same with any other genre. I want to see if I can bring out whatever it is that makes a writer of a particular genre good and have that person write nearly anything.
Please, give it a shot.
And, my house was always so filthy that I never let anyone in. No joke. It had mice and bugs. That's why we moved.
Te he!
I am reading this with my head tilted like a confused puppy.
If you want to write this and submit it later, that's okay too. I'll list it in future weeks.