Before setting up shop as a proofreader (www.scribe.com.au), I worked as a technical writer. When I told people what I did, I was often met with blank stares bordering on total incomprehension.
These days, I'm often asked how to get into the field of proofreading, and I usually suggest a stint doing technical writing first. Again, I'm often met by the same response. :-)
Thus I thought I'd set the record straight and finally answer that question that has (I'm quite sure) been keeping you awake at nights:
Just what is a "technical writer" anyway?
Recently I spoke with loan officers at several of my local banks in order to find out the costs associated with a housing loan. One of the things that struck me in all of these conversations was the astonishing (to me) level of jargon used by the bank staff when explaining their products to customers.
I have added a new word to my vocabulary. Logorrhea. We've all been touched by it. What is it? The Word Spy defines it, "excessive verbosity and long-windedness. Also know as verbal diarrhea."
New Zealand's most distinguished writer, with at least 20 major works to her name.
I have written several articles on how to publish an ezine, so this time I thought it might be interesting to write an article on how NOT to publish an ezine.
