Re: Am I qualified to become an entry-level tech communicator?

["Susan W. Gallagher" <sgallagher -at- EXPERSOFT -dot- COM>]

Robert Heath wrote about all the software he's learned and
all the publications he's read, then asked:


>Have I done enough to be an entry-level technical communicator? If
>not, what else should I do or be doing?

Well, certainly you're on the right track. But tech writing isn't
performed with tools alone.   ;-)

* Make jigsaw puzzles, do crossword puzzles, or solve mysteries to
  practice looking at fragmented bits of information and assembling
  them so that they make sense.

* Learn something -- anything -- new every day. If nothing comes your
  way, go looking for it. Some days, just for fun, learn two things.  ;-)

* Practice writing instructions, then ask your friends to follow them
  to the letter and see what they do. Make changes, as appropriate,
  based on the results. Become acquainted, at least superficially,
  with theories about how and why people learn.

* Attack your writing with a red pen, eliminating every unnecessary
  word or phrase you find. Then go back to the same piece and do it
  again.

Best of luck to you!
-Sue Gallagher
sgallagher -at- expersoft -dot- com

 From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000=