OCSTC newsletter is available for April

TechniScribe is OCSTC's award-winning newsletter. TechniScribe provides members and the public with information about trends, technologies, and opportunities in technical communication. TechniScribe also provides members with an opportunity to publish reviews, articles, and regular columns in an industry-recognized publication.

http://www.ocstc.org/newsletter

What applies to tech com

I really like reading Greg Pinkus' blog. Though it isn't about technical communication, I feel what he says applies. Social media can be used this way to promote ourselves as technical communicators. Check out this post.

http://www.thehappyaccident.net/dont-forget-the-low-hanging-fruit/

LASTC Culver City Lunchtime Forum - Thursday, March 29

The next Culver City Forum is on Thursday, March 29. Lu  will lead the discussion on “Dissemination of Knowledge and Technical Communication Using Wikis.” 

When: Thursday, March 29, 12 noon - 1:15 pm

Where: LUNCH, 3829 Main Street, Culver City, CA 90232; Telephone: 310-837-6200

Directions: LUNCH is on Main Street, between Venice and Culver Boulevards.

Parking: Free parking in nearby public garages. The lot behind the Bank of America on Culver is very close.

STC Summit

The STC Summit happens May 20-23 in Chicago.
 Check out more details at http://summit.stc.org/hotel-travel/

Motivation to write

I'm lifting this off of a creative writing site. I've had this for quite some time so I can't remember the site but I love that the same motivation that is used for creative writing can be used for technical writing. When you work from home it is especially important that you don't procrastinate and keep on schedule. So many jobs can be done away from an office that I think this is an important topic.

The important points to remember when you are having a hard time to get started with a project are:

• Remember the deadline - do your own project management and lay out what you need to accomplish in the day and do it. Always keep the bigger picture in mind. What are the milestones? When are they due?
• Get dressed and get ready like you are going to work - because you are!
• If you are blank or feel intimidated - write one sentence. Once you start there is momentum. I say outline first. Then you get your head on straight to know what you need, from who, and plug that into your timeline.
• Discipline. Like anything else writing is a discipline. You should really love what you do, otherwise is writing really for you?

Creativity and Technical Writing

I was thinking about this the other day when I discussed with someone who was interested in entering the technical communication field about their fear of losing creativity by writing and creating technical documents. Which made me think long and hard about what I am doing.

I came to the realization that technical writing makes me creative. For me personally getting to write for a living has been awesome. It let’s me practice my craft, I am always improving. learning, and being creative. By creative I mean, you have to find creative ways to present information to your readers that is useful, meaningful, clear, and concise. In some cases, this isn’t easy. I also appreciate the elegance of making difficult to digest information useful and hearing readers say the occasional thanks.

One byproduct to technical writing is that is gives me ideas for creative fiction writing. I like to write stories about science and technology in my fiction writing. I am paid to learn about technical subjects to write on them in technical communication. How great is that? Then I use my knowledge later in my creative fictional writing to give my characters depth and methods to their actions. A perfect pairing. I guess in the end I just love to write. Technical writing let’s me do that while satisfying both my craving for technology  and creativeness. In the end, I really like my job because I’m always learning and to me that is creativity in itself.

Culver City Lunchtime Forum- STC

Culver City Lunchtime Forum (Society of Technical Communicators - LA)

When: Thursday, October 27, 12 noon - 1:15 pm

Where: LUNCH, 3829 Main Street, Culver City, CA 90232; Telephone: 310-837-6200

Directions: LUNCH is on Main Street, between Venice and Culver Boulevards.

Parking: Free parking in nearby public garages.