Regarding the suggestion to "first create a style guide"-- I have yet to see a situation where a person was hired to be a lone tech writer where there was not already a fairly high stack of work waiting. Often, one or two product releases pending with tigh...

Posted on Friday, March 12, 2010 ________________________________________________________ TECHWR-L Premium Ads You received this message because you're a subscriber to TECHWR-L. This ad posting is sent daily directly to all list members to help underwrite...

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Use Doc-To-Help's XML-based editor, Microsoft Word, or HTML and produce desktop, Web, or print deliverables. Just write (or import) and Doc-To-Help does the rest. Free trial: http://www.doctohelp.c...

Right... me neither. But I've somehow managed to work for Microsoft, HP and Que Corporation (praise God). I've also had a cover story appear on Ziff-Davis's (now-defunct) *Windows Sources* magazine and was their Windows tips editor for a few months before ...

Experience trumps degrees... I don't have a bachelor's degree and that's never been a problem when it comes to getting a job.

(I think) is that I'm a tech writer for a school district, rather than an actual company. It's fun stuff! [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+jennifer_randel=khsd.k12.ca.us@lists.techwr-l.com] On Behalf Of Heather Anderson first), but I enjoy the job. of the address...

What she needs to do is hit the ground running and show them immediate real productivity. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Use Doc-To-Help's XML-based editor, Microsoft Word, or HTML and produce desktop, Web, or print deliverables....

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Use Doc-To-Help's XML-based editor, Microsoft Word, or HTML and produce desktop, Web, or print deliverables. Just write (or import) and Doc-To-Help does the rest. Free trial: http://www.doctohelp.c...

Ah, I somehow missed that distinction when you said "My suggestion is to *start by* creating a company-specific style guide..." (emphasis mine). However, even in the situation you described at your own company, I'd much rather agitate to get myself inserte...

copy? ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Use Doc-To-Help's XML-based editor, Microsoft Word, or HTML and produce desktop, Web, or print deliverables. Just write (or import) and Doc-To-Help does the rest. Free trial: http://www.docto...

... I agree with Mike's assessment of the situation. I've recently become the lone tech writer at our office, and while it's tempting to want to mandate stylistic consistency from the get-go, all this effort is moot unless we produce something. That said,...

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Use Doc-To-Help's XML-based editor, Microsoft Word, or HTML and produce desktop, Web, or print deliverables. Just write (or import) and Doc-To-Help does the rest. Free trial: http://www.doctohelp.c...

I have to disagree with devoting time to immediately creating a company-specific style guide. As the *only* technical writer, Melissa *is* the style guide. What she needs to do is hit the ground running and show them immediate real productivity. It's not i...

That sounds like something that would be generally helpful to the list. Maybe post it on TechWr-l and/or write a short bit to go with it, then let us all know? It also sounds like something that would be great as a guest blogger and for your LinkedIn page...

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Use Doc-To-Help's XML-based editor, Microsoft Word, or HTML and produce desktop, Web, or print deliverables. Just write (or import) and Doc-To-Help does the rest. Free trial: http://www.doctohelp.c...

Sorry, Craig. I've searched high and low and can't put my hands on anything. Perhaps another Techwr-l remembers the thread and can get us both a copy? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Chris ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Use Doc-To-Hel...

Melodi, Maybe I missed in one of your posts... have you taken this issue to your direct supervisor? It's important that they be aware of it, even if you think you can handle it. If you don't want any action to be taken right away, just tell your supervisor...

Same here, again. I am my small company's first and only tech writer. I am, cue the drum roll, The Lone Writer. That's why I joined the following lists: The Google Group TheLoneTechWriter at: http://groups.google.com/group/thelonetechwriter?pli=1 The Linke...

Congrats, Melissa. My suggestion is to start by creating a company-specific style guide that addresses common errors you see in the current documentation (and any stuff that is client-facing, e.g., marketing pieces). This (friendly) guide could eventually ...