I rarely write fiction (well, other than in ralph_dnd, but that's different), but this bit of whimsy struck me earlier today.
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Today I learned that one of my favorite grammar/usage curmudgeons has a blog, which I've now syndicated: bill_walsh.

Bill Walsh is the author of Lapsing into a Comma, a sensible style guide with interspersed rants. Just my kind of thing! Also see Rules That Aren't, a response to some commonly-held "rules" like not splitting infinitives. (And hey, ( Read more... )

If the application comes with a "getting started" document, I expect that document to tell me the few things I need to know to get going. I don't generally expect a 42-page document for a simple application. This is calendar software (client-side, not server-side), not Oracle ( Read more... )

Someone recently asked me if I have any advice for someone at his first tech-writing gig. Asking me quesions like that is sort of like dangling tuna in front of the cats. :-)
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Nick asked me these questions a while back, but I never got the email notification and I didn't notice. If anyone else thinks I'm ignoring questions, please let me know.
1. How has the field of software documentation evolved during your career?
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( conversion reactions, writing, LJ, tastes, fixing Pittsburgh )

This question is directed toward two groups: people who have completed fiction works, and people doing NaNoWriMo (national novel-writing month).
How do you structure your writing? Do you write your story linearly from beginning to end (not counting editing passes)? Or do you jump around, leaving place-holders for things you'll fill in later?
My ( Read more... )

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On a tech-writing mailing list people were talking about red flags in resumes (for tech-writing positions, I mean). Most people were talking about content issues, so I raised formatting.

Specifically: if you send me HTML (or a URL) I will inspect your source, and if you send me a Word document I may examine the structure of your document. (Word ( Read more... )

(Written Wednesday.)
On the ground Atlanta was dark and dreary, but as we emerged ( Read more... )