RE: solo writer--how do you keep up, etc?

Subject: RE: solo writer--how do you keep up, etc?
From: Kim Roper <kim -dot- roper -at- pixelink -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2003 11:50:51 -0400


Sean Brierley asked:

> Those of you in smaller shops, or lone writers, how do
> you keep current with the tech writing industry?

1) I start at Techwr-l and go from there.
2) In an informal way, I check out what other people are doing and how
they're doing it.

> How do you advance your skills and also your career,
> especially in this time of reduced (or absent)
> training budgets?

It depends on what I need at the time. In addition to whatever experience
I've accumulated in techcomm and marcomm, I have a pretty broad technical
background (engineering, math, tech support, lab work ...) and I'm a good
lateral thinker. I can usually adapt what I know to give me a running start
at a new learning experience. I study when I can, and the rest of the time
I pick up stuff through hands-on learning (there is no substitute for
pushing buttons and unscrewing screws), reading, demos, tutorials,
interviewing SMEs, quid pro quo with techie friends ... whatever it takes.

I think curiousity is the key. If tech writers were animals, we'd probably
be raccoons living in a "raccoon-proof" containers.

Back to unscrewing the inscrutable ...

Cheers ... Kim
kim.roper at pixelink.com
http://www.pixelink.com/

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