Comments for Managing Writers http://managingwriters.com A Real-World Guide to Managing Technical Documentation Tue, 25 Oct 2011 21:41:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= Comment on About the book by rlhamilton http://managingwriters.com/note-to-participants/#comment-1244 rlhamilton Tue, 25 Oct 2011 21:41:52 +0000 http://rlhamilton.wordpress.com/note-to-participants/#comment-1244 Ed, Thanks for the note; I'm glad you like the book. Here is a link to a web page that contains the documentation plan. I guess I should have that somewhere prominently on this site :-) http://xmlpress.net/publications/managing-writers/doc-plan-template/ Richard Ed,

Thanks for the note; I’m glad you like the book. Here is a link to a web page that contains the documentation plan. I guess I should have that somewhere prominently on this site :-)

http://xmlpress.net/publications/managing-writers/doc-plan-template/

Richard

]]> Comment on About the book by Edward Brown http://managingwriters.com/note-to-participants/#comment-1243 Edward Brown Tue, 25 Oct 2011 21:36:55 +0000 http://rlhamilton.wordpress.com/note-to-participants/#comment-1243 Can you send me the documentation plan template? I bought your book and it states that you have an electronic version available. BTW, great book! Can you send me the documentation plan template? I bought your book and it states that you have an electronic version available.

BTW, great book!

]]> Comment on The Wiki Dilemma by Julio Vazquez (@juliov27612) http://managingwriters.com/2011/09/19/the-wiki-dilemma/#comment-1206 Julio Vazquez (@juliov27612) Tue, 20 Sep 2011 18:24:27 +0000 http://managingwriters.com/?p=444#comment-1206 Which could explain why Facebook and Twitter are successful. They are not targeted to a specific group but they want to claim the entire world as their base. With that sort of volume, it stands to reason that the active 1% will generate enough content to attract the 9% who didn't get bored. Nice post, Richard. Which could explain why Facebook and Twitter are successful. They are not targeted to a specific group but they want to claim the entire world as their base. With that sort of volume, it stands to reason that the active 1% will generate enough content to attract the 9% who didn’t get bored.

Nice post, Richard.

]]> Comment on Monden-san by Lynda http://managingwriters.com/2011/04/01/monden-san/#comment-168 Lynda Mon, 09 May 2011 19:17:38 +0000 http://managingwriters.com/?p=407#comment-168 I'm very sorry to hear this. Though my interactions with him were limited, his passing is a loss. I’m very sorry to hear this. Though my interactions with him were limited, his passing is a loss.

]]> Comment on It’s not the tool, it’s the writer by Tweets that mention It’s not the tool, it’s the writer | Managing Writers -- Topsy.com http://managingwriters.com/2010/11/09/its-not-the-tool-its-the-writer/#comment-114 Tweets that mention It’s not the tool, it’s the writer | Managing Writers -- Topsy.com Wed, 10 Nov 2010 23:33:38 +0000 http://managingwriters.com/?p=362#comment-114 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Isabel Moritz, Marie-Louise Flacke. Marie-Louise Flacke said: It's not the tool, it's the WRITER! http://bit.ly/ayoHax #Techcomm - MUST READ!!! [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Isabel Moritz, Marie-Louise Flacke. Marie-Louise Flacke said: It's not the tool, it's the WRITER! http://bit.ly/ayoHax #Techcomm – MUST READ!!! [...]

]]> Comment on The Official Indie Book Reviewer List by Christy Pinheiro http://managingwriters.com/2010/11/10/the-official-indie-book-reviewer-list/#comment-115 Christy Pinheiro Wed, 10 Nov 2010 18:27:48 +0000 http://managingwriters.com/?p=371#comment-115 Thanks for the mention, I really appreciate you helping to spread the word about this resource. I understand the issues with the non-fiction. I write non-fiction myself, and one thing that I've learned is that book reviewers have very specific tastes and vary wildly in their submission guidelines. I did have at least one reviewer in the book that ONLY wants non-fiction, and many others will accept non-fiction on a case-by-case basis. But it's always an uphill battle for non-fiction writers to get book reviews, and hopefully this guide makes it a just a little easier. Thanks for the mention, I really appreciate you helping to spread the word about this resource. I understand the issues with the non-fiction. I write non-fiction myself, and one thing that I’ve learned is that book reviewers have very specific tastes and vary wildly in their submission guidelines. I did have at least one reviewer in the book that ONLY wants non-fiction, and many others will accept non-fiction on a case-by-case basis. But it’s always an uphill battle for non-fiction writers to get book reviews, and hopefully this guide makes it a just a little easier.

]]> Comment on It’s not the tool, it’s the writer by Hamilton http://managingwriters.com/2010/11/09/its-not-the-tool-its-the-writer/#comment-113 Hamilton Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:48:11 +0000 http://managingwriters.com/?p=362#comment-113 Larry, you're definitely right here. There are tools that will hold your team back. Certainly going from unstructured word processing tools to structured XML can make a huge difference. However, if you're using DocBook and considering a switch to DITA, or if you're using ArborText and considering a switch to FrameMaker (or vice versa), things get fuzzier. I think we sometimes forget the difference between a game changer (e.g., wikis vs a static web site) and a better widget (DITA vs. DocBook (of course, that will make my DITA friends unhappy because they consider DITA to be a game changer and my DocBook friends unhappy because they consider DITA to be more of the same, but I think you can see the point:-)). Larry, you’re definitely right here. There are tools that will hold your team back. Certainly going from unstructured word processing tools to structured XML can make a huge difference. However, if you’re using DocBook and considering a switch to DITA, or if you’re using ArborText and considering a switch to FrameMaker (or vice versa), things get fuzzier.

I think we sometimes forget the difference between a game changer (e.g., wikis vs a static web site) and a better widget (DITA vs. DocBook (of course, that will make my DITA friends unhappy because they consider DITA to be a game changer and my DocBook friends unhappy because they consider DITA to be more of the same, but I think you can see the point:-)).

]]> Comment on It’s not the tool, it’s the writer by Larry Kunz http://managingwriters.com/2010/11/09/its-not-the-tool-its-the-writer/#comment-112 Larry Kunz Tue, 09 Nov 2010 18:19:56 +0000 http://managingwriters.com/?p=362#comment-112 That's certainly true, up to a point. But some tools really are limited in what they can do, and the wise manager is willing to admit when a tool is holding his team back. Even then, as you say, simply replacing the tool with a new one won't be a panacea. That’s certainly true, up to a point. But some tools really are limited in what they can do, and the wise manager is willing to admit when a tool is holding his team back. Even then, as you say, simply replacing the tool with a new one won’t be a panacea.

]]> Comment on What STC can learn about certification from the FAA by Dennis Divine http://managingwriters.com/2010/07/20/stc-certification-and-the-faa/#comment-108 Dennis Divine Sun, 17 Oct 2010 12:47:54 +0000 http://managingwriters.com/?p=302#comment-108 Tenatively, I think certification has some potential, but I worry about the finished program. I see this possibly turning into yet another bureaucratic exercise for technical communicators to wade through (as if their jobs weren't already complicated). I think portfolio evaluation as an alternative to testing certification is promising (though admittedly subjective). I simply hate the thoughts of trying to maintain certification by being obligated to complete formal coursework on an ongoing basis, for a stout fee no less. Please don't make this any more complicated than necessary. Tenatively, I think certification has some potential, but I worry about the finished program. I see this possibly turning into yet another bureaucratic exercise for technical communicators to wade through (as if their jobs weren’t already complicated). I think portfolio evaluation as an alternative to testing certification is promising (though admittedly subjective).

I simply hate the thoughts of trying to maintain certification by being obligated to complete formal coursework on an ongoing basis, for a stout fee no less. Please don’t make this any more complicated than necessary.

]]> Comment on What STC can learn about certification from the FAA by Gil Vinokoor http://managingwriters.com/2010/07/20/stc-certification-and-the-faa/#comment-107 Gil Vinokoor Sun, 15 Aug 2010 13:41:14 +0000 http://managingwriters.com/?p=302#comment-107 Great article, Richard. Informative and thought-provoking. Another certification program that the STC should consider for ideas is that of the Project Management Institute - http://www.pmi.org/CareerDevelopment/Pages/PMICredentialOverview.aspx - since technical communication has a lot in common with project and program management. Thanks again for insightful article! Great article, Richard. Informative and thought-provoking.

Another certification program that the STC should consider for ideas is that of the Project Management Institute – http://www.pmi.org/CareerDevelopment/Pages/PMICredentialOverview.aspx – since technical communication has a lot in common with project and program management.

Thanks again for insightful article!

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