Re: STC

[John Hedtke <john -at- hedtke -dot- com>]

Well, here's one concrete example of how I've gotten value from the 
SIGs: frequently, when I am writing a magazine article, I can loft a 
question in the SIGs and get information, resources, and suggestions 
that I can then put into the magazine article, which then pays me as 
much as $1/word.  (These are not STC publications we're talking about 
here.  :)  )  No, no, nobody's being plagiarized, but if I'm writing 
about, say, laptops, I can post a note asking about some aspect: 
thereof: "Okay, what's the one thing about laptops you dislike the 
most?"  The responses I get are usually very helpful; if nothing 
else, they clarify my thoughts about what I'm trying to pass on to 
the readers.  I've also been able to get ideas for articles, a sense 
of the direction that the potential readers might want to see the 
article go, and contacts for further information this way.  I've also 
been able to post questions about software techniques or hardware 
problems that help me deal with my day job.  And I recall asking 
about various things when writing some of my more recent books.

The SIGs are a vast resource of knowledge and the SIG members tend to 
be pretty helpful in my experience.  I like 'em.

Yours truly,

John Hedtke
Author/Consultant/Contract Writer
www.hedtke.com <-- website
541-685-5000 (office landline)
541-554-2189 (cell)
john -at- hedtke -dot- com (primary email)
johnhedtke -at- aol -dot- com (secondary email)




At 06:52 AM 4/1/2008, Suzette Leeming wrote:
>Just curious - what value do you get from the SIGs? I've belonged to a
>specific SIG for years and I think maybe I received a related email over a
>year ago, and nothing since. Since I find it difficult to attend meetings
>(because of other obligations and distance) I really struggled with renewing
>my membership this year.
>
>Suzette Leeming
>Keswick, ON
>
>
>
>On Tue, Apr 1, 2008 at 9:43 AM, Bill Swallow <techcommdood -at- gmail -dot- com> wrote:
>
> > >  If you belong to an active chapter, then that's a benefit also.
> >
> > Yes, and by the same token if your local chapter is not active, it's
> > tough to find the benefits in that regard. My local chapter has seen
> > another decline in recent years. I decided not to renew my local
> > chapter affiliation this year and instead go with 3 SIGs (plus a few
> > extra). This doesn't mean I won't be able to go to local events, but
> > it does allow me other options for obtaining value from my membership.
> >
> >
>--
>"What I like to drink most is wine that belongs to others." - Diogenes
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