Posts matching to technical writing
Being Proactive - Finding Freelance Technical Writing and Editing Opportunities
Professional conferences and workshops are great opportunities for freelance technical writers and copy editors. The presenters often need your professional services and
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Technical Writing and Tennis
As one of your technical writing colleagues I was proud to be representing Israel in the recent Maccabiah games, competing against British, Australian, Canadian, Argentinean and other Israeli players.
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Daily Reviewer includes Elephant in 100 top blogs
The Daily Reviewer recently notified us that it included Elephant in its list of 100 top blogs in the Technical Writing category. You can find our RSS feed (Tech Writer News) at http://thedailyreviewer.com/top/technical-writing.
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Salary/Rate reporting has begun for the start of Q4. Participate NOW!
Participation is required in order to gain access to the detailed results without paying 1200 NIS + VAT. To participate you must login. If you do not have a password, you can create one at create a user account.
To ensure accuracy, data that cannot be verified or clarified will not be used in the survey. Reporting takes place at the start of each fiscal quarter. Links are in the right column.
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To ensure accuracy, data that cannot be verified or clarified will not be used in the survey. Reporting takes place at the start of each fiscal quarter. Links are in the right column.
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Mouse Euthanasia with Camtasia
December 31 2008
(edited 2 year, 11 month ago)
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Hi, you keyboard whiz readers! I needed to make a change in this month's featured application at the last minute. Because of some previous damage to my computer, the Captivate download did not work properly. No matter! Camtasia is an excellent tool that can do a lot of what Captivate does for less money. Unfortunately, Camtasia is no longer freeware, but you can download a 30-day trial version, as I did.
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STC Israel Chapter's 2008-09 Technical Communications Competitions
The STC Israel Chapter's annual Competitions is getting underway! This is a chance to attain peer recognition for your high-quality work, and receive useful suggestions for you to apply to future efforts. The Competitions help establish professional standards for our work, and provide visibility for technical communicators among their companies and clients.
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Leah Guren: Ten tips for tastier tasks
August 27 2008
(edited 2 year, 11 month ago)
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Leah Guren gave an excellent overview of what Technical Communicators should take into consideration to make their documents better and packaged it in ten tasty tips.
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7% Discount at In Other Words
7% discount on courses at In Other WORDS , except for Introduction to Technical Writing.
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The Final Why
June 1 2008
(edited 2 year, 11 month ago)
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“When we didn’t have a manual yet, when we didn’t know what to name the commands on our menus, when we needed our business cards spelled right, we couldn’t have done without you,” the boss said. “But now the product is in release, and I don’t see the ROI from fine-polishing the error messages.”
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Can it be both raw and right?
April 1 2008
(edited 2 year, 11 month ago)
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“You know you guys are crazy?” said old Genady. “You tell one person that the way you write the material makes it right or wrong, but you ask another person to tell you whether it’s right or wrong before you’ve written it correctly and you’re angry that he tries to correct the writing.”
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Knowing Where You Are
March 3 2008
(edited 2 year, 11 month ago)
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Excerpted from my book FrameScript for Newbies Copyright [7/17/2007] by Paul Schnall
It is always good to know where you are, this is also true in scripting. Most FrameMaker objects have a text location or text range property. This property tells you the coordinates of the object. Then, these coordinates can be used to place other object relative to this location. For example, if you have the text range of a paragraph, then you can specify a new text location. The new text location can be anywhere within this text range. The text location can be used to add text at that point.
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It is always good to know where you are, this is also true in scripting. Most FrameMaker objects have a text location or text range property. This property tells you the coordinates of the object. Then, these coordinates can be used to place other object relative to this location. For example, if you have the text range of a paragraph, then you can specify a new text location. The new text location can be anywhere within this text range. The text location can be used to add text at that point.
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Create Screencasts and Quick Video Captures with Jing (Totally Free)
Jing,a new project by TechSmith, is a tool that allows you to quickly capture video or an image from your computer and share it with others, such as project team members or customers.
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Non-Participant Subscription to Salary and Rate Survey Results
February 17 2008
(edited 2 year, 1 month ago)
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Are you ready for salary negotiations? Are you sure you pay competitive rates for technical and marcom writing services (or maybe you overpay)? The elephant.org.il survey is the most comprehensive survey of technical and marcom writers in Israel. It is also the only survey that covers freelance rates with detailed breakdowns. The cost of access is only a fraction of the value.
Participants in the survey can save money by joining Elephant or purchasing a subsidized "participant subscription". Link to subsidized prices for survey participants (you must be a survey participant)...
Participants in the survey can save money by joining Elephant or purchasing a subsidized "participant subscription". Link to subsidized prices for survey participants (you must be a survey participant)...
Subscription Rates to Increase Soon - Subscribe Now and Save!
Read more...What Does a Technical Writer Really Do?
February 6 2008
(edited 2 year, 10 month ago)
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Technical writing in Israel is not just about gathering technical information and putting it down on paper.
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Code of Ethics for Technical and Marcom Writers
Elephant.org.il has just adopted a Code of Ethics. We hope that this code will be adopted by all technical and marcom writers in Israel.
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The Multi-Tailed Example
January 15 2008
(edited 2 year, 11 month ago)
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You try to write the example so that it reaches out a well-directed hand to the reader, and the reader grabs the example by the tail.
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Don't Overshorten
January 1 2008
(edited 2 year, 11 month ago)
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"Could you please tell me what the job of a technical writer is like?"
I recently received an email from a reader who asked to know what the job of a technical writer is like. Anoop writes,
I am a computer science Master's student at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. I am in my second year and I am on the lookout for jobs. Other than the system software engineer posts, I am considering applying for a job as a technical writer too. I do love witing as much or maybe more than I love coding and understanding operating systems. I do have experience in system software but not in technical writing, though I do blog occasionally and I also have written a few technical how-tos.Read more...
Could you please tell me what the job of a technical writer is like? How different is it from that of a software engineer? I know it pays less, but I guess you might get more satisfaction especially if you like writing? Could you, if you have the time, tell me how a day at work goes like? Do you think with my limited experience, I have a shot as a technical writer and in the area that I'm interested in?
The Wherefore of Style
December 15 2007
(edited 2 year, 11 month ago)
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 | I ask about the purpose, and I’m answered about the background. “Why do the user’s neckties appear on the screen in that particular order?” I ask, expecting to hear how that particular order serves the purpose of benefiting the user. “They appear according to the sequence in which they arrive from the database,” says Dror the developer. |
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What Does a Shoe Store Have in Common with a Technical Writer?
October 18 2007
(edited 2 year, 11 month ago)
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Normally not much, but there is one shoe store in Florida that does. Technical writing is a niche business, and in Israel many of the more successful technical writers have created a niche-within a niche.
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Outsourcing - Which Writer Cost More?
In theory, a technical writing company can provide clients with a wider range of expertise and save writers from business related tasks, such as marketing and billing. In practice, the structure of the industry has created a situation where most successful writers prefer to work directly rather than through technical writing companies.
Read more...Handling Graphics in FrameMaker
July 1 2007
(edited 2 year, 11 month ago)
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For experienced FrameMaker users who have completed the Using
FrameMaker course or have equivalent knowledge.
Single Sourcing with FrameMaker
July 1 2007
(edited 2 year, 10 month ago)
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For experienced FrameMaker users who want to take advantage of
the single-sourcing potential of FrameMaker. Learn how FrameMaker
can help you use the same source material in different forms
and contexts: combine the same files in different FrameMaker
books, use conditional text, text insets, special text (variables,
cross-reference, autonumbering) and color views to create multiple
product versions within one set of documents.
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the single-sourcing potential of FrameMaker. Learn how FrameMaker
can help you use the same source material in different forms
and contexts: combine the same files in different FrameMaker
books, use conditional text, text insets, special text (variables,
cross-reference, autonumbering) and color views to create multiple
product versions within one set of documents.
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STC Israel 40th Anniversary Convention - What a Success!
The STC convention was quite an event. I, a novice in the field, was duly impressed by the number of people attending, the energy, the networking, and the whole atmosphere of so many people working in diverse aspects of technical communication.
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Salaries and Freelance Rates Rose in Q2 2007
The average and median salaries for technical/marcom writers rose 788.91 and 500 NIS respectively since the start of Q1. The average direct contractors hourly rate dropped by $0.74, while the median rose by $0.50. Average and median hourly rates for subcontractors on the other hand rose significantly, +$3.67 and +4.65 respectively.
A review of the detailed statistics shows a number of different trends that reflect important changes in the market. The recent drop in the US dollar had very little affect on the report because contractor rates are set in $USD and they had not yet had time to adjust rates. The change in the exchange rate was only reflected for those few writers whose rates are set in NIS because they were converted to $USD using the exchange rate in effect at the time of reporting.
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A review of the detailed statistics shows a number of different trends that reflect important changes in the market. The recent drop in the US dollar had very little affect on the report because contractor rates are set in $USD and they had not yet had time to adjust rates. The change in the exchange rate was only reflected for those few writers whose rates are set in NIS because they were converted to $USD using the exchange rate in effect at the time of reporting.
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Are Tech Writing Courses Worthwhile?
The Techshoret list has an interesting thread on technical writing courses in Israel. The thread began as a question about where to find courses and turned into a discussion of how useful they are (or aren't).
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Israeli Elected as At-Large-Director of the STC Worldwide
Leah Guren was recently elected to the Worldwide Board of Directors of the STC (Society of Technical Communicators). She is the first Israeli to serve on the Board of Directors.
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Techshoret List Changes Hands
April 11 2007
(edited 2 year, 11 month ago)
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Ezriel Yellin just announced that he is turning over the Techshoret list to Paula Stern. Ezriel, also an ordained Rabbi, took over the list from Marjorie Schecter 7 years ago. Paula Stern, who is also the owner of WritePoint
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Israel as an Outsourcing Alternative
March 26 2007
(edited 2 year, 11 month ago)
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Boston.com, the web site of the Boston Globe, has an interesting article on U.S. firms outsourcing to Israel for skilled work in English.
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STC Israel Announces 2006 Salary Survey Results
Surprisingly the STC survey found salaries in Jerusalem (02 area code) to be higher than in Tel-Aviv (03 area code). This is in direct contrast to all of the Elephant surveys.
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I Do Not Understand HR People
March 12 2007
(edited 2 year, 11 month ago)
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I had an appointment to speak to the technical writing manager...
I arrived 10 minutes early for the meeting with the HR lady and was told to sit in the foyer and wait. That is what I did - for more than an hour. Eventually...
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I arrived 10 minutes early for the meeting with the HR lady and was told to sit in the foyer and wait. That is what I did - for more than an hour. Eventually...
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The point of my existence
I had a marvelous encounter yesterday which simply begged to be written down and shared with other technical writers.
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My First Day as a Technical Writer
He poured two glasses and we wished each other l’Hayim and a sort of blessing on the new book. Technical writing suddenly took on a completely different structure and I could definitely get used to this.
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Baby Steps
I’m not saying that I have it that badly coz I don’t. Nobody chains me to my desk and sticks hot skewers up my nose.
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Stream of Mumpyness
This article fuses the "Stream of Consciousness" literary technique with the world of technical writing. The end result is best viewed after taking mind-altering drugs.
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Things that Made me Laugh This Week
November 8 2006
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(edited 2 year, 11 month ago)
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My boss stood over my shoulder while I was sitting down working on my computer. All of a sudden I realized that there was a buzzing sound coming from his trousers.
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Ethical Questions
Read and add your input on the following issues:
Age Discrimination Affecting Tech Writers in Israel
What Should a Non-Competition Agreement Include?
Should Tech Writers have a Code of Ethics?
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Age Discrimination Affecting Tech Writers in Israel
What Should a Non-Competition Agreement Include?
Should Tech Writers have a Code of Ethics?
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Rosh Katan
I’m going to be a Rosh Katan from now on. For those of you who don’t speak Hebrew, a Rosh Katan is somebody who does the minimum that they can get away with and doesn’t make any extra effort.
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Do you know what makes me angry?
Do you know what makes me angry? I mean, do you know what makes me really, really, really angry?
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Ahhh Good Times
September 10 2006
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(edited 2 year, 11 month ago)
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Have you noticed how they always say that on reality TV shows even though they haven’t gone anywhere? ... Is it my fault that I enjoy writing up features, should I apologize for running with glee to document bugs; do I need treatment for my pathological enjoyment of sitting with R&D developers?
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Brilliant Ideas
So my boss wants me to come up with something “new” in time for the Sales Conference at the end of October.
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Happiest Unemployed Tech Writer
Whether the hostilities will end or not is hard to say. I live in the Western Galilee and have been running to shelters for over a month - at home, at work, in supermarkets, and in clinics.
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Pick your Battles
In case you hadn’t picked up on it, the Mumpy is a sensitive soul, and gets offended at the slightest provocation. When you look up the phrase “water off a duck’s back” in the dictionary, you will never see a photo of the Mumpy.
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The Art of Loitering
At long last, I have the answer to the question that has baffled technical communicators for years. The question is, of course, what makes a good technical writer.
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Take No Responsibility
I sent out some Release Notes for review the other week. In the Release Notes, I had documented a new feature which posed some risk to the customer’s organization if they were not very careful with their configuration. A leading support engineer emailed me back asking me to include the following note:
[Company Name] takes no responsibility for the following feature.
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[Company Name] takes no responsibility for the following feature.
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Nothing melts a Mumpy more
Just when I thought it was all over and I was going to resign from my job and become a wet nurse, something unexpected happened to me. I was sitting in a meeting with my team (Product Management) – minding my own business and lost in a pleasant daydream about George Michael, when I heard my name mentioned.
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Under Fire
It is almost 17:00 as it dawns on me that I have accomplished virtually nothing today. Despite a looming deadline, I can’t focus on my client’s material; I’ve read the same page of the style guide five times without absorbing a thing.
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Information Teaser
My boss is an information-teaser. Picture the scene. I am sitting in my boss’s office, notepad in one hand, pen in the other, and a look of intensely, earnest concentration on my face. My boss is standing by the white board discussing a white paper he wants me to write about subject X.
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Have You Marinated Your User Guide Lately?
The other day somebody sent me a funny sentence taken from an advert for a technical writer published on Jobnet. The advert stated they were looking for a technical writer who was good at writing, editing and marinating technical articles.
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Code of Ethics
So far technical writers in Israel are divided on the need for a formal code of ethics, but this may change if the proposed code is improved upon.
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Don't Ask
Things Not To Say to a Technical Writer and How to Respond
But nobody ever reads the manuals anyway. As said by a Product Manager in a large meeting. The correct response to this does not involve extreme injury to certain body parts. The recommended course of action is
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But nobody ever reads the manuals anyway. As said by a Product Manager in a large meeting. The correct response to this does not involve extreme injury to certain body parts. The recommended course of action is
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