From Journalist to Lone Technical Writer

by Karen Rokich

Q. How did you choose a career in technical communication?

A. I decided to become a writer while I was still in high school in Mason, Ohio. At the time, I knew of only two careers in which people made a living as a writer: novelist and journalist. Being pragmatic and poor, I chose journalism. Then one day, after having worked 13 years as a reporter, editor and columnist for various newspapers in the western United States, I finally heard of the field of technical communications.

Q. That must have been a memorable day. How did you make the discovery?

A. I remember the day very well. I was conferring with a colleague in CompuServe’s Computer-Assisted Journalism Forum. (Yes, it was a long time ago.) A corporate headhunter, who had been following our discussion on how to create political campaign contribution databases for our respective newspapers, sent me an email.

“Have you ever thought about becoming a technical writer?” she asked.

“What’s a technical writer?” I asked.

Thus began the correspondence that launched my second career.

Q. What was your first technical communication job?

A. Thanks to the headhunter, I became the lone technical writer for an industrial equipment manufacturer in Pennsylvania. I quickly learned that my journalistic skills were technical communication skills. I knew how to interview subject matter experts. I knew how to translate their frequently complex and jargon-filled responses into simpler concepts and language. I knew how to present information in a way that the average person could easily understand.
I also learned it didn’t hurt that my hobbies included illustration and photography.

Q. So how has your career evolved since that first techcomm job?

A. Since that day 15 years ago, I have written and illustrated numerous operating and maintenance manuals, technical bulletins, data sheets, white papers, technical articles, parts and equipment catalogs, marketing brochures and web sites. I have developed a technical publications department from scratch, helped oversee the merger of technical publications and marketing departments, and started my own freelance marketing and technical communications business.

Recently, I moved back to Warren County, Ohio, where I continue to produce whatever marketing and technical communications materials my clients need. So far, that has included everything from traditional technical publications and marketing collateral to press releases, trade show plans, technical illustration, animation, photography, web advertising campaigns and entire web sites.

Q. Has STC been part of your career journey?

A. Through it all, STC has helped me keep up with changing technology, add to my skill set, and learn how to set up and operate my own business.

I am still a lone writer. Now, however, I am also a lone illustrator, lone graphic designer, lone animator, lone photographer and lone web designer/content provider. Perhaps that, more than anything, illustrates how the field of technical communications continues to evolve.

by Karen Rokich

It’s a long way from writing a poem about a little lamb to working as a tech writer. As they say, however, every journey begins with a first step.

Margaret VanWinkle was writing short poems in the third grade. However, her exposure to writing as a career was limited in her small Ohio town (she thought all writers were novelists). Since she viewed writing as a tool, not a vocation, she didn’t take any writing classes at Ohio State. In fact, she graduated with a major in biology.

Unfortunately, the biology degree became outdated while she raised seven children. While she was living in Ontario, Canada, one of her good friends was a newspaper columnist, and Margaret began contributing articles about raising children.

Margaret re-entered the work force as a secretary and eventually worked as an executive assistant for a life insurance company in South Dakota. After her divorce, money was very tight. C. S. Lewis once said that he wrote The Chronicles of Narnia because they were the type of stories he wished he could have read as a child. Following this example, Margaret began writing personal finance columns for the Rapid City Journal—the type of columns that she wished she could have read before her divorce.

Margaret returned to Ohio in 2003 and began working for Assurant Specialty Property, first as a claims representative, and then as an administrative assistant. When a technical writing position opened, her insurance background and a portfolio of newspaper columns proved invaluable in gaining the hiring manager’s attention.

She has been a technical writer for over three years and loves it. She creates and maintains online client manuals, captures new procedures, and documents all aspects of homeowner insurance (from verifying homeowner insurance to paying insurance premiums to processing property damage claims).

She said, “The challenges of this position are common to many of us. I continually strive to maintain tact and respect as I work with managers, and I enjoy learning new software applications such as Adobe RoboHelp and SnagIt. I also strive to improve my writing skills. The STC, and especially the Southwestern Ohio chapter, has provided many opportunities for growth.”

In her free time, Margaret enjoys visiting her children and their families (in six states). She also square dances regularly and is the editor of the quarterly newsletter for the national organization Single Square Dancers USA.

How many people do you chat with in a day? 20? 40?  How about more than 500 over a two-day span?

No, not all at once. And, no, not all by yourself. What we’re looking for here is somebody to help organize a team of folks to handle all these conversations…at Tech-Fest 2010. Interested? Read on.

Tech Fest is a program dedicated to introducing kids to science, technology, engineering, medicine and math (STEM). It includes hands-on, interactive exhibits staffed with volunteer professionals from societies, companies, museums, universities and other technology organizations. Last year, it was held on Feb. 14 and 15 at Sinclair Community College … and STC-SWO was there.

According to last year’s coordinator Jean Fudge, SWO participation in 2009 Tech-Fest was a smash hit!  In addition, the students who talked with us taught us a lot of writing procedures.

But all that is history. Let’s talk about your interest in coordinating the Tech-Fest fun for 2010. Here’s what the coordinator has to manage:

• Reserving space at Tech Fest (number of tables, electricity)
• Determining what we will display (computer projects? Hardcopy projects? Cooking writing projects?)
• Arranging for computers (available through Sinclasir if needed)
• Gathering display materials (posters, cookies, or other props)
• Writing a descriptive blurb for the Tech Fest handout
• Scheduling volunteers
• Ensuring exhibit setup/tear down
• Taking pictures
• Returning materials
• Writing a short article for Between the Lines

Wow! That’s a lot, no? But surely you understand the art of delegating. And that’s what Tech-Fest needs: a supreme organizer, recruiter/delegator, and manager. YOU can handle it, especially with mentoring and advisory support from last year’s coordinator. Think of all the kids in the region who really need someone to tell them about the opportunities available in technical communication. Picture them; they’re waiting. And they are counting on you.

While you’re still excited about the prospect, email Jean or Louise and sign up!

by Karen Rokich

Molly fell into Technical Writing.  She has a BA in English from Xavier University and a MA in Creative Writing from State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo.  After graduate school, she landed a position with a tiny software development company, where she answered the phones and did invoicing.  They needed software user manuals for a product they developed,  and she assisted in writing.

Her first Technical Writing job was with DocuCraft, a technical and business writing consulting company.  DocuCraft gave her the opportunity to work with a lot of different clients and projects.

She is currently the documentation manager at Ball Aerospace and Tecnologies Corp. in Fairborn, Ohio.  Ball Aerospace is a government contractor that provides engineering, software, and scientific expertise in defense and intelligence analysis. Her team provides writing and editing for numerous projects, including end user documentation, online help, and numerous reports delivered to their customers.  She is also part of a larger communications department, including proposal and graphics/multimedia teams.

Since she has wanted to be a writer since her early school days, Molly is thrilled that she writes as part of her present position. In fact, writing is her favorite part of the job.

In her leisure time, Molly crafts custom jewelry and enjoys knitting and cooking.