Editors

[Stacey Marner <marners -at- CORSAIR -dot- MANTECH-WVA -dot- COM>]

     I am brand new to this field and was hired as an editor in a very
     technical environment.  I was a high school English teacher so I've
     never been exposed to all the tech talk, etc. except through my
     husband.  Now I'm reading that stuff for clarity and, although it's
     gotten a lot better, I still don't have practical knowledge about what
     I'm reading.  Does this matter? I was also just curious how the
     editing/tech writing situation is handled in different companies.  Are
     they usually the same person or do you just do a lot of peer editing?
     Here I usually only get to read through a document once before it goes
     out the door.

     My last question has to do with setting up a documentation department.
      There are three of us.  One responsible for double checking and
     compiling the outgoing documents, one to do formating and me.  Before
     I was hired, the only editing help they had was off site.  I find it
     very fulfilling when people bring me memos to proof or in-process
     writing to get advice about structure.  Although it does happen, it
     doesn't happen very often.  How do I introduce my self as a resource?
     Does it just take time?

     Stacey Marner

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