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Re: Question on a Xmas present (and potential sample)
Subject:Re: Question on a Xmas present (and potential sample) From:kcronin -at- daleen -dot- com To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Sun, 3 Nov 2002 09:18:47 -0700
You can create a professional looking book of this sort using any tool -
my initial thought is that you should use whichever one you're most
comfortable with. Remember, nobody can tell what tool you used when they
review your writing sample, so I don't really see the advantage of picking
a tool on that basis, unless you're worried about a gap in your tool
repertoire (sp?).
On the other hand, a project like this is a GREAT way to learn a new tool.
So if you need to add say, Frame to your skill set, this could be a fun
project. Anybody will tell you, the real way to learn a tool is to
actually have to create something with it, so maybe this is a good
opportunity.
While Quark and PageMaker are top-drawer DTP applications, in my
experience they are seldom used in tech writing. So if you don't already
know Frame, try it. Adobe also has some great templates available on their
site, which you could use as the basis for your own templates.
Word is also a frequently used tech-writing tool, so if you're not a Word
guru, this would be a chance to develop those skills. Many tech writers
get by with only a surface knowledge of this tool, and their frequent
frustration with it usually stems from their lack of awareness of its
capabilities. Again, the challenge of creating a professional looking book
with Word would do a lot to polish those skills if you don't already have
them.
VERY bright idea about using this as a writing sample - the cookbook is
among the most common forms of tech writing, yet one that is frequently
ignored or forgotten on this forum. Good luck!
Keith Cronin
Tech writing. Yum.
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