# Introduction

The vast amount of rules that pertain to writing in the English language can be daunting, to say the least. There are also a lot of different opinions about which of those rules should be followed. There is a difference between the ability to speak in coherent and grammatically correct English and the ability to write effectively in English. Perhaps many of the common rules are not as important when it comes to verbal communication, but written documentation clearly needs to be consistent and follow a set of defined rules. It is also important to distinguish between concrete grammar rules that should always be followed and style rules that are simply guidelines or choices that will help make documentation to be more consistent and potent.

As a general rule for writing technical documentation, it is important to keep it as simple as possible while using enough creativity and solid writing skills to keep the reader engaged long enough to absorb whatever information they need to satisfy the reason they found the particular documentation in the first place. All talented writers have developed their skill over the course of time by writing A LOT. However, following a set of rules and guidelines can help less experienced writers, as well as those without native-level language skills. Especially when documentation is written by multiple writers, it is important to have a common set of rules and guidelines to keep the documentation consistent, effective, and professional.