[astcq-discuss] Re: Life Out There?
- From: "Brian O'Sullivan" <cinfo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <astcq-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2004 21:22:27 +1000
Hi Naomi,
Although I have a degree in Journalism, I have to confess that the level of
grammar required for technical writing simply has to be competant. Keep it
really simple. Keep it short. Keep one idea per sentence, one theme per
paragraph. Oh yeah, did I mention keep it short?
I once shortened 2 A4 pages of technical explanation to 1 sentence. No more
was needed. Not one end user had the slightest idea what the longer version
meant. They suspected it must have been a very complicated feature and
didn't dare ask for clarification for fear of looking stupid!
Structure and clarity are the most important points to remember in my
opinion.
Buy a dictionary. I recently undertook a contract at a past workplace. They
now employ 3 writers. Not one of them had a dictionary at work.
At uni the classic english usage text is "The Elements of Style" by Strunk
and White. This really is the industry standard in journalism. Buy it, claim
it on your tax return and impress your boss all in one go. When anyone
questions your grammar wave the book in their face and mumble incoherently
for a few minutes - that should fix it!
Hmm... I seem to have started ranting a little...
Regards,
Brian O'Sullivan
----- Original Message -----
From: "Naomi Kramer" <nkr@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <astcq-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, August 09, 2004 10:45 AM
Subject: [astcq-discuss] Re: Life Out There?
> Thanks for the replies, ppl, I'm glad to hear there are still other qld
> tech writers out there! :)
>
> Christine, I'd be in for meeting up after work some time. Preferably
> somewhere I can get a decent coffee with soy milk in it. Any day of
> the week except Wednesday.
>
> Jean, regarding courses - part of the reason I went looking for this list
> was to see if I could get help with courses/books suitable for tech
> writing. In particular, I could really use a solid grounding in English
> grammar. I have a fair idea of how to construct a relatively
> grammatical sentence, but thanks to the NSW school system
> switching grammar from high school to middle primary as I went
> through my last year of primary school... I know very few of the actual
> rules. I don't think I can improve much more as a tech writer without
> that grounding. So... any ideas, anyone? My employer has expressed
> some willingness to help out with costs involved.
>
> - Naomi
>
> > Hi Naomi
> >
> > Your mail it seems to have found me although I was never sure I was
> > properly enlisted.
> >
> > But I really only remember the list functioning much when people were
> > getting together.
> >
> > So should we go ahead and organise a meeting for after work some
> > night? I'm not taking on the job full time - not sure what my
> > employment situation is, but I would happily organise one meeting.
> >
> > Current contract is 6 weeks with QLD newspapers. Anyone know of any
> > work coming up after that?
> >
> > ck
>
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