Four Pillars of Technical Communications

If you’re new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Technical Writing is one among many careers in the larger field of Technical Communications. It has been a long and interesting journey since writing my first college newspaper article for the Willamette Collegian in Salem, Oregon. I have met […]

Short Stories Improve Reading Comprehension

Today’s post is short like the previous post from this past weekend. The message, also, is short, but powerful: short stories are the best path to improve your overall reading comprehension and writing skills. Why do I say this? It is because most systems today can be broken down into smaller sub-systems. So, if you […]

Ten Majors I recommend to become a Technical Writer

If I had to go through college again, these are the ten majors I would select from - en route to a career as a Technical Writer. As I list each major, I will tell you exactly why I have recommended it. You will notice quite a diverse selection, but, truly, each one contains great […]

Helping Others: The Key to Blogging Success

Dear Readers & Blog Subscribers:
Today’s post is going to be really short and to-the-point. If you are a blogger or writer, remember this one fact, and you will ALWAYS continue moving forward with your writings:
I am here to help others, unconditionally.
Simple enough? I hope so. So, while you are worrying about whether your post will […]

How to write a User Guide

My very first Technical Writing job was with a company called Rene Perez and Associates, then located in Coral Gables, Florida. Rene’s company was an IBM partner and also based on the AS-400 mid-range mainframe computer system. His software was designed to help manage and control airplane parts and airplane maintenance activities for airlines such […]

Creating Great Documentation: Ten Suggestions

Creating great documentation involves more than just typing or writing. It involves a great process of study, reflection and patience. Also, you want to have great tools and resources that will positively affect your work as it unfolds. This list includes ten suggestions that you can apply to your work or consulting location as you […]

Book Review: Handbook of Technical Writing

In addition to the Microsoft Manual of Style (3rd Edition) for Technical Publications, I also have on my desk at work the “Handbook of Technical Writing” by Gerald Alred, Charles Brusaw, and Walter Oliu. This book is an excellent source for consultation, especially for grammar and basic English writing-related standards.
Technical Writing is a most […]

Writing for the World Wide Web: Ten Suggestions

Hello everyone - and I hope your weekends are off to a nice start. I hope you all get some nice rest so that you can recover from the busy week. A special *good luck* wish to all students for a successful return to school and academics (students of all ages return to school here […]

Windows Vista: The Pocket Guide - by Rich Robinson

Hello everyone and hope your weekend has gotten off to a good start A very good Stumble Upon web friend of mine, Rich Robinson, has just finished putting together an e-book entitled Windows Vista: The Pocket Guide. This book is really great and I’d like to devote this blog post to discussing the […]

Microsoft Word 2007 Inside Out

As a Technical Writer, my favorite software tool is, without a question, Microsoft Word 2007. It is a phenomenal and incredible resource. It has evolved tremendously since its inception in the mid 1980s, and I remember my first experience with Microsoft Word when I had my MacIntosh Plus computer and I was typing my college […]