Re: Recommended software for breaking into technical writing

[Ed Gregory <edgregory -at- HOME -dot- NET>]

It appears that there are many former journalists in here. I spent 18 years
in journalism, bringing laptops and spreadsheets into the newsroom a dozen
years ago and hungering to do more with technology.

We could wax nostalgic, or get philosophical. But the original question
what concerned what software tools a journalist might need when making the
$witch to tech writing.
In text editing, formatting, layout software -
1.      Word - Not because it is good, but because it is a corporate
standard
across the country.
2.      Pagemaker, Quark, or Framemaker - find a copy to play with. Use it
to
format documents, not just write text. You won't be expected to be skilled
in all three, or even one of these, to land a beginning tech writing job
that pays more than most newspaper jobs.
3.      Snagit  - Own a copy. Learn to use it not just to copy icons and
screen
images, but how to use features that determine the size, format and quality
of the captured image.
4.      Paint Shop Pro (shareware downloadable from JASC.COM) or PhotoShop
--
You don't have to become a graphics artist, but you do need to know how to
import, cut and paste, crop, and how to make sure the size and file type
match your document. PaintShop has its own screen capture facility, but it
pales beside Snagit. Use them both.
5.      Books are software, too. Dummies books work for some people, as do
more
expensive books from Que, Sybex, and even Microsoft. The Chicago and
Microsoft manuals of style should be on or near your desk. (Forget the AP
style manual.
6.      And, although not finally, anything Dilbert to prepare you for the
realities of the new work style. ;-}

Good luck.

Ed Gregory
http://www.members.home.net/edgregory/search1.htm

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