You mention using a POINTED TIPPED soldering iron - surely wouldn't a WIDE TIP be better? 

If your PCB has a SOLDER MASK LAYER then a wide tip can be used. A Solder Mask Layer will encourage the solder to FALL either side of the mask so reducing BRIDGEING.
 

This Web Page is intended for PROTOTYPE PCBs that don't have a Solder Mask Layer. Therefore a pointed tip is easier to solder individual SMT pads. 

The fine tip has a very low THERMAL CAPACITY because of it size. Therefore the temperature drops extremely quickly when it comes into contact with the pad. 
 

Once off the pad it regains its high temperature very quickly. The higher thermal capacity of the rest of the bit CHARGES up the tip quickly as well. 
 

This DROP in temperature has the advantage that the solder melts quickly on the pad but the temperature dropping protects the pad and its glue from overheating and causing damage. 

You use SOLDER WIRE intead of SOLDER PASTE - Why? 

SOLDER PASTE requires a lot of handling considerations:- 

• Storage in a Refridgerator 
• Thawing out for at least 30 minutes to room temperature
• Manual application to SMD pads using applicators is MESSY due to its VERY THICK consistency 

 
Manual Soldering using solder paste can ALSO cause SOLDER BALLING where the temperature is accelerated TOO HIGH that causes the solder to BOIL, BUBBLE and SPIT its solder balls EVERYWHERE over the board with a possibility of causing SHORT CIRCUITS. 
 

However by using SOLDER WIRE - NONE of these occur.

Wouldn't it be better to use a HOT AIR PENCIL instead of a Soldering Iron? 

Hot Air Pencils are DIFFICULT to set up in terms of their AIR TEMPERATURE. The Air velocity controls are usually very fiddly to adjust the flow to achieve the correct temperature. 
 

If the air pressure is set TOO HIGH, it can be strong enough to BLOW the SMT devices OFF their pads. 

You are usually heating an AREA of the PCB so it take longer to melt the solder. 

However a SOLDERING IRON solders quickly WITHOUT all the other problems mentioned.