TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: What kind of names do you make up? From:"Backer, Corinne" <CBacker -at- GLHEC -dot- ORG> Date:Thu, 10 Jun 1999 12:53:35 -0500
My personal favorite is Jim Shortz. (think about it)
We have a writer who's very creative with this type of stuff - she uses
philosophers for one chapter, famous authors for another, great
philanthopists, scientists, etc. (Big pool of names, and they're all dead,
so you avoid the controversy.) Her current idea is to use serial
killers...we may have to re-think that one :)
Ah, the few frivolous pleasures of being a frustrated writer...
Corinne
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Laura Hardy
> Sent: Thursday, June 10, 1999 12:34 PM
> To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject: Re: What kind of names do you make up?
>
> Hi -
>
> Since August, I've been writing user manuals for a claims database used
> within the auto insurance industry, and our department just delights in
> inventing names to use for practice claims. Like the person who wrote
> about
> using the names of former boyfriends, girlfriends, teachers, and others,
> we
> also use those names, in addition to names of pets, celebrities, and
> fictional characters. We especially like to tie names in with the auto
> insurance theme, so there are names like Jay Walker, Minnie Driver, and
> Broke N. Legg. Making up names allows us to add levity to a sometimes dry
> project. As for using my own name, I probably wouldn't do that, simply for
> security reasons.
>
> Laura Hardy
> Tech. Writer
> Cleveland, OH
>
> From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000=
> =
>
>