Performing editorial magic

Technical communicators are often asked to perform magic, even miracles. We transform incoherent ramblings into documents that inform and intrigue readers, giving them tools they need. We are often expected to perform these transformations in short times, as if by waving a wand. The fact that we manage to do it suggests that we really are magicians. What makes us magicians is not trickery but special knowledge that we apply to help others. We describe why editorial magic is important to clients, approaches that technical communicators can use to perform magic, and how it can be dangerous if misused