1.5 Left Brain, Right Brain: Fact or Fiction?

Many writers see themselves as creative thinkers. If you believe yourself to be first and foremost a creative writer, you might feel like technical writing is “too dry” for you, or not creative enough.1 While for some that might be true, the practicality of honing your skills as a technical writer only strengthens your ability to be an effective communicator overall.

To illustrate, Pablo Picasso, a famous 20th-century artist, was known for a movement in visual art called Cubism; but many do not realize Picasso first mastered classical techniques in the visual arts known as Realism, or neoclassical art forms.

In fact, there is some evidence that suggests Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein, the great theoretical physicist, had more in common in their learning styles than most realize—having had similar experiences in formal education.2 Genius often requires mastery of both “right” and “left” styles of thinking and creating.

If you think you might be less adept at learning technical writing because you are “right brained,” you are not alone. In one study, 68 percent of the general public said they believe there are left and right hemisphere brain differences and learning styles, but this is actually a myth.3 Humans have learning preferences, but there is no difference in brain activity based on these personality traits. And rather than learning with primarily the left or right side of the brain, humans generally are all “whole-brain” learners.4

Humans are Whole-Brain Learners

Effective technical writing requires whole-brain engagement. While humans may have strengths in or preferences for right- or left-brain cognition, the brain is a plastic, resilient organ.5 Skills that may not necessarily be your natural preference or strength can be taught.

This is good news for those writers who want to pursue a technical writing career, as this career path is often seen as a more logical or “left-brained.” But since humans are whole-brain learners, anyone who desires to become a successful technical writer can become one by adopting the necessary skills and techniques. Creating techniques and generating strategies that help you accomplish goals as a technical communicator is actually a creative, intuitive, and logical process.

Techniques for Engaging Whole-Brain Learning, Writing, and Communicating

Now that you know you are a “whole-brain” learner, writer, and communicator, hopefully you are encouraged to learn new styles and techniques. As you improve as a writer, you will find opportunities to grow in preparation for a technical communications career.

Communicate as if you were engaging your whole brain as a creative, strategic, and logical technical writer. Begin by committing to the idea that technical writing is a process. While completing technical writing assignments, ensure that you use a strategy similar to the following: Plan, Choose Words Wisely, Revise.

Plan: Begin with an outline for assignments and give yourself smaller deadlines so you have time to revise and edit. Discover what the goals for the assignment are, such as word count, page numbers, and other requirements, and keep track of your progress along the way.

Since technical writing is often formulaic, use the inverted pyramid formula while you are planning to achieve concise results. As a general guideline, include the most pertinent details at the top of the document, and with each additional paragraph, give information and details that are relevant but less vital for the reader to understand. The less vital information will give more detail to your main points as your paragraphs and sentences progress.

Choose Words Wisely: Use active voice and simple, clear language free of jargon. Choose words for brevity. Use adverbs less frequently wherever possible. Watch for common mistakes like stacking prepositional phrases, using passive voice, or hanging a modifying clause at the end of a sentence (also called a dangling modifier). Efficient syntax and usage will make your communication more clear.

Revise: Edit, edit, and edit again. Have your peers, an instructor, or a tutor give you honest feedback about what your writing weaknesses might be. You can also use a software program such as the Hemingway App to give you writing pointers.