TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
I definitely expected to see a forum -- when I found it, they were trying to
convert, and then it didn't work (from what I remember) so they kept the
list. You COULD try Facebook; pages that get a lot of members get a lot of
comments on their posts, and is easily sharable. But it' s not very
digestible, since you can only read a handful of comments at a time.
My vote would DEFINITELY be forum out of all the avenues I have experience
with. If I want to chit chat with like-minded individuals, twitter -- but
for this type of thing, forum.
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+hannah -dot- drake=formulatrix -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+hannah -dot- drake=formulatrix -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
Behalf Of McLauchlan, Kevin
Sent: Thursday, February 13, 2014 10:56 AM
To: Hannah Drake; 'Dan Goldstein'; 'TECHWR-L'
Subject: RE: membership and participation (was RE: ghost town)
I'll agree to sit corrected on 20-somethings' use of LinkedIn.
Can I ask, though, since you (rightly) consider this list to be "old
school", how would you have *expected* the same kind of info and discussion
to be made available?
In what format or social media would you have looked first, before stumbling
into this old-school ghetto?
I mean, LinkedIn and Facebook and Twitter are just not that kind venue, are
they?
Some blogs and their comments sections are useful. Any other options
younger folk would gravitate to?
-----Original Message-----
From: Hannah Drake [mailto:hannah -dot- drake -at- formulatrix -dot- com] On Behalf Of Hannah
Drake
Sent: February-13-14 10:21 AM
To: McLauchlan, Kevin; 'Dan Goldstein'; 'TECHWR-L'
Subject: RE: membership and participation (was RE: ghost town)
I can't see Lauren's suggestion/question, but I disagree about
20-somethings. Source: I'm a 20-something, and so are my friends. We are all
on Linked In (actually, my profile was one of the top 500 most-viewed last
year apparently, I got a nice little email from LinkedIn), and my friends
use Facebook to post a LOT of pics of their kids, weddings, engagements,
etc. It's more about keeping your entire social base updated on major
happenings in your life, for those that choose to use it. Some people have
cancelled their accounts in favor of trying to go back to more personal
communication, some because it's a time suck. But probably 80% of people
still have it. However, Facebook for business promotion is going by the
wayside, since now every business is on Facebook, and business posts are
hidden by default.
I came across Techwr-l because I was searching for industry related stuff
online. I take pride in my career and wanted to get advice from others and
so on, so I googled, and had no idea about the list serve, but think it's
awesome. It's definitely old school though. I thought these things were
extinct. Didn't techwr-l try to make it a forum and failed?
However, I will say that I don't think it's common for people to do what I
did. It takes a bit to settle into adult life, and then move your focus to,
how do I develop my career, instead of, what am I going to do this weekend?
So it'd be rare for early-mid 20's to do this, less rare, but still rare for
mid-late. I'd say the best bet to promote would be to target people on
Linked In and invite them, or, see what groups they are in, join the group,
and present the opportunity. Further, it's hard to break in to tech writing
as a career from what I saw when I was searching. Usually junior positions
require experience (the old, but how do I get experience if you won't hire
me because I don't have any, deal). I got into it via lateral move.
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+hannah -dot- drake=formulatrix -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+hannah -dot- drake=formulatrix -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
Behalf Of McLauchlan, Kevin
Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 10:47 PM
To: Dan Goldstein; TECHWR-L (techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com)
Subject: membership and participation (was RE: ghost town)
Lauren's suggestion / question was good.
But twenty-somethings are following teens, in only maintaining a FaceBook
presence to keep in touch with their parents.
They don't even know what LinkedIn is, for the most part (anecdotal; I've
done no studies).
They live and get their info and inspiration elsewhere.
I'm trying to remember how I first came across Techwr-l.
It was in the 90s. I was in CopyEdit list and a couple of FrameMaker lists,
as well, but I really don't recall the order that I found them.
One or more I might have hit first from a late-eighties BBS and not the Web.
Sorry. I'm not trying to stir up more nostalgic ramblings, here. I'm
trying to figure why newer techwriters would not be pouring into Techwhirl
(site and list).
I would have figured with Google, Bing, and Yahoo search, they'd be finding
us much more readily than in days of yore, as the source of answers for all
kinds of questions.
Would some of the younger members have some thoughts on where newer
techwriters would be finding their answers, and their daily dose of
community?
It can't really be Twitter - I was being a bit facetious in a previous post.
The recent social sites/services that I've only heard of, and not tried,
just don't seem conducive to work-related conversation, fact-seeking,
mentoring. Rather, more kiddie hangouts, places/conduits for re-hashing of
eternal teen angst/rebellion, repackaged in 6-second clips... stuff you do
while you are a student or a min-wage worker or slacker living with Mom, and
not what you might follow in connection with making a living and possibly a
career. But then, I'll be 60 in a month, so obviously my perspective is way
skewed. Still, I can't see anyone getting techwriting, research, tools,
workplace politics, or other advice and viewpoints... and commiseration...
via Pinterest or whatever replaces it, now. (What's it called, that one
where posted pics [supposedly] age out and disappear after 30 or 40
days?.... never mind; I don't really need to know, and if I'VE heard of it,
it's already uncool among
teens, and will be uncool among 20s before June)
Certainly the "let's hang out and pretend to be cool together" universe is
much more fragmented than it was, but they must still be graduating to
something relatively stable and large-scale when they start getting serious
about life, making the rent and car payments, etc. How would we target
that without seeming like more of the kind of corporate spam-presence that
everyone ignores in every site and media?
Oh dear.... maybe the "younger members" I was beseaching are actually fudds
and crones in their.... gasp!.... 30's or more.
Have we got any demographic info? Heh. I should just visit the techwhirl
site, shouldn't I. It's probably on the first page. Going now...
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+kevin -dot- mclauchlan=safenet-inc -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+kevin -dot- mclauchlan=safenet-inc -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
] On Behalf Of Dan Goldstein
Sent: February-12-14 3:52 PM
To: TECHWR-L (techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com)
Subject: RE: ghost town
If list traffic is slow, it means that thousands of new tech writers aren't
aware of the list's existence. In theory, someone other than the moderators
could volunteer to spread the good word. (Our wonderful and dedicated
moderators make sure that the list runs smoothly, and that's already a lot.)
-----Original Message-----
From: McLauchlan, Kevin
Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 3:35 PM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: RE: ghost town
Or, maybe the archive on the site is now so perfectly searchable that it
answers all questions and there's nothing new under the techwriter-ish sun.
Cool.
-----Original Message-----
From: Brian.Henderson
Sent: February-12-14 3:28 PM
To: McLauchlan, Kevin; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: RE: ghost town
Sounds like somebody doesn't have any actual WORK to do.
-BrianH.
-----Original Message----- From: Kevin McLauchlan
Do I have to ask another really dumb question, to stir up some life in here?
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