Welcome to
Technical Writer's
Reference Page
The Professional Writer's Ultimate Source for Information and Links
Here's what you have all been waiting to hear: I will begin to update this site as of 7-21-01. Due to reasons such as dot-com failures, some of my links have gone bad. I will be checking and correcting them, plus adding new features. This will be an ongoing process, so have patience. Thanks to all of you who have emailed to tell me that some of the links don't work.
Quick Click Contents
Page created Feb. 15, 2000. Updated 7/11/00.
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Detailed Contents List
Introduction
This web site provides reference material for experienced technical writers, but also includes information for beginners and for tech writers looking for a job. This site includes links to various types of reference material, including HTML instruction pages, style guides, technical writing sites, tech writing tools, dictionaries, etc.
My goal is to help (English-speaking) persons who are in the business of writing and formatting technical documents. I've reviewed quite a few of the sites to which this page is linked, and have used some of the tools listed.
I welcome input from other technical writers, especially those who can provide additional links, identify outdated links on this page, and give editorial (or other) comment.
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About the Silicon Hills
Because I live and work in the "Silicon Hills" of Austin, Texas, you will notice that some of the links emphasize the Austin area. This area is sometimes called the Silicon Hills because it is surrounded by the Central Texas hill country and it hosts companies like Dell, IBM, Motorola, Samsung, Applied Materials, Apple, Tivoli, Intel (coming soon), Compaq, and many others.
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How I Created This Page
Copyright February, 2000, by Sharon G. Taylor.
I created this page using Arachnophilia 4.0, a FREE web editing tool that I personally prefer to other HTML editors. Arachnophilia offers a clean-looking interface that includes a preview screen, spell-checker, templates, "undo" function, tutorials, and FTP client software. It supports development of HTML, frames, CGI, Perl, C++, Java, and Javascript. However, Arachnophilia is NOT the most commonly used editor in the industry. I would say that Microsoft FrontPage probably holds that distinction.
Get a Free Web Editor
You can download the Arachophilia web authoring software FREE, with no strings attached and no credit card, at Arachnophilia Home Page The software runs on Windows 95/98/NT.
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More to Come
This is a live document and subject to change. In the future, this site will expand to include more of my own suggestions and observations. I also plan to add additional links. During these formative days, I've deliberately put all the information into one long document so that I can readily print it. This may change in the future. Please note that most -- but not all -- of the links are verified as of 2/19/00.
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Download or Buy Tools For Technical Writers
Introduction
To do our jobs, technical writers need tools. In this case, the word "tools" means software that helps us to produce high-quality documents. These include browsers, web authoring software, help authoring software, screen capture software, editing software, graphics software, and other items. This section includes links to SOME of the web sites that provide these tools. I plan to add others in the future.
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Writer' Software Ranked
Click here for a web page that reviews and ranks writers' software of all kinds. Subtitled "A Guide to the Best Writer's Software for Every Kind of Writing."
Link to the Microsoft Home Page
Windows users can get the latest software for their computers at microsoft.com.
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Download Netscape
If you prefer Netscape to your current internet browser, you can find the main Netscape page on the Netscape Netcenter home page. To download Netscape, see the Netscape Products page.
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Download Winzip
If you're needing the latest version of Winzip, you can get the WinZip 8.0 Evaluation Version for Windows 95/98/NT/2000. Or you can go to the Winzip Home Page to see what's new.
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Capture Graphics with SnagIt
Get a great screen capture tool from TechSmith Corporation This software, called SnagIt, costs about $40 for a single user to register, and is well worth the money.
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Download Adobe Acrobat
Read PDF files using Adobe Acrobat Reader (download site). See all of Adobe's products at the Adobe home page.
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Framemaker
Create professional documents, including large books, using Adobe Framemaker. (I don't THINK they offer any free trials, but I didn't look at all the links.)
You can also buy Framemaker from a an independent vendor. See all of Adobe's products at the Adobe home page.
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RoboHelp
For information on RoboHELP, the world-famous help-authoring tool, see the Blue-Sky Software page that describes this application. Includes free 15-day demo download (as of 2/19/00). Warning to those considering purchasing this software -- RoboHELP is excellent, but NOT cheap.
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Search Engines
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Web Authoring
The following sites offer web authoring tools for various platforms (computer types). With the exception of Arachnophilia, I have not tried any of the software, but have provided a description of each web site.
- Arachnophilia Home Page. For information about this FREE software, see "How I Created This Page."
- AdvaSoft. This site offers downloads for aswedit and ASwedit, which are web-authoring tools that run on a UNIX platform. This includes Linux, AIX, Sun Solaris, and others. The aswedit version is available FREE for students and staff in education and charitable non-profit organizations, and for free evaluation by individuals and commercial organizations.
Current release: 4.0 (released on 05 August 1998)
Linux Current release: 4.0.1 (released on 20 March 1999)
- CodeEdit 3. This site lets you download FREEWARE editor called CodeEdit, Version 3, which claims to give you "complete control over your final product by not altering your code as some other editors do." Platforms include Windows 95/98/NT.
- www.groundlayerz.com. This site provides links to several web authoring tools that offer free trial downloads. The site also offers screen savers, themes, freeware, wallpaper, and additional links to both free and commercial items.
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Free Stuff
- The Beseen.com offers free, customizable tools for your website.
- The Free Stuff Link Center contains links to a number of "tools and free stuff."
- FREE Vault: YOUR Complete FREE Stuff Directory is updated daily. It claims to be "Your Complete FREE Stuff Directory," and says "all resources are reviewed and rated for your personal convenience."
-
Free Mania claims to be "Your Number #1 Free Stuff Directory Online" ... Get free apparel, free merchandise, free product samples, baby freebies, free coupons, new free stuff, magazines, free games, webmaster freebies, free cometics, etc.
-
Other Stuff Free Pages provides links to additional sites where free items are offered. (I haven't checked any of the links on this page.)
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Reminder Services
- NeverForget.com
- free Internet e-mail reminder service.
- Internet Elephant
- a reasonably-priced, ad-free reminder service that uses email for timely, discreet reminders.
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Calendars
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Get HTML and Web Info
- The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) probably provides the MOST information about HTML, SGML, and web development of any site on the internet. Includes the lastest versions of HTML, plus information on previous versions.
- A complete reference to HTML 4.01, by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), can be found at this site.
- See also for more links.
- Webmonkey offers a variety of web development information, including HTML guidelines.
- Otmar's List of HTML Tags provides a quick and simple reference to the most common HTML tags. Depending on your job and your level of forgetfulness, this might make a good document to pin on the wall next to your computer. This reference includes special characters, lists, and highlighting types. This site does NOT tell how to use the tags, nor does it provide information about more complicated tasks such as creating tables, frames, or forms. (About 3 pages, printed.)
- The HTML quick reference page lists both common and less-common tags, and gives brief explanations on how to use them. The referenced tags include forms, but not frames or tables. This document is a good quick-reference, but doesn't explain special characters very clearly, and calls them "Entities." The document is probably best for intermediate HTML users. It could be used by beginners as a quick-reference but not as an instruction guide.
- Create a Website, by Whatis.com, is a set of tightly-packed links on just about everything to do with web development.
- The Bare Bones Guide to HTML lists a very large number of tags, with NO usage information. Besides the more common tags, this guide includes tags for colors, forms, tables, frames, special characters, scripts, java, links, graphics, and sounds. This document provides a very complete reference to HTML tags, useful even to expert Web page developers. However, this doc may mystify beginners.
- The author(s) of the Bare Bones Guide to HTML also offers an HTML instruction guide called The WWW Help Page. In addition to simple HTML tagging, this document includes information on frames, Java, animation, sounds, counters, and other web page needs.
- The Mining Co: Technical Writing guide is a great technical writer's reference site that includes information about HTML, XML, etc.
- Check out the Yahoo Information and Documentation web site (view the source) to see how to do a list within a table.
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Create or Download Graphics for Web Pages
- The Inkwell Images Ink Homepage, by Ken Southworth, calls itself the "official site for Animation Instruction."
- Multimedia Authoring: Platypus - Platypus Animator is a software with which to import images, add sounds, and create AVI videos.
- The Gif Construction Set, by Alchemy Mindworks, is a reasonably-priced gif animation tool for Windows 95, 98, 2000, and NT.
- Animation Online lets you create free animated banners and buttons using online software.
- Barry's Clipart Server provides FREE web graphics.
- Clipart.com describes its contents as "the net's best clipart, font, photo, and web graphics links." This is an excellent site that provides links to many FREE clipart sites, as well as other sites for graphics.
- A+B+C Graphics claims to have the world's largest supply of backgrounds.
- Free-Backgrounds.com offers background images suitable for web sites or computer desktop wallpaper.
- Charmyn's Free Seamless Textures
offers free seamless backgrounds and custom graphics.
- Free Webpage Backgrounds offers backgrounds.
- Wallpapers.com offers free wallpaper and "wallcards for the web."
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Special Feature
Reference Docs for Writers
-
Books for Dummies
- Help-Site.com provides links to FREE and not-so-free online computer manuals for many types of operating systems. This is an excellent reference site.
- Scott's Tutorial Hotlist, subtitled "Tutorials, Manuals, and User's Guides," is a very good page for "links to some of the best tutorials, manuals, user's guides, etc. that [the author has] found on a variety of topics." It contains an Internet/Computer Glossary, as well as links for UNIX, Java, Linux, Windows, GIF, and many other subjects. Don't miss this one!
- The Art of Business Web Site Promotion contains some very good tips for generating visitors to your web site.
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online
- Dictionary.com
- Lycos Technical Glossary provides a word search for computer and internet terms.
- Free Online Dictionary of Computing provides computer and internet terms.
- Dick Perron's Computer Glossaries Page provides a number of computer-term word lists, broken down by product.
- The Netlingo Internet Dictionary provides definitions for internet terms.
- What is?.com is an encyclopedia-type reference for computer terms.
- The Webopedia claims to keep up with the latest terms.
- Thesaurus.com
is like Roget's Thesaurus online.
- Online English Grammar
- Semantic Rhyming Dictionary
- Bartleby.com, Great Books Online
- Bartlett's Famous Quotations
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View Style Guides
- Creating Your Site's Style Guide is a very good place to begin examining style guides, especially for web development.
- Technical Writing - Style guide by Dr. R. Standler, former professor of electrical engineering. This is for technical writing by physicists and engineers, but seems to be pretty good for anyone.
This - Writing Style Guide looks like a good one.
- Writing User-Friendly Documents appears to be a very good online style guide. It includes very basic, very practical advice in an easy-to-use format.
- Language: Style and Usage, from About.com, provides some very good links to style-guide subjects.
- Six Basic Punctuation Rulesgives some pretty good explanations.
- Here's a good web site style guide.
- Here's the complete Sematech style guide. This looks like a really good site from which to get ideas for your own style guide.
- Here's another "complete" style guide that also includes links to other style guides. These are related to medical organizations.
- Here's the completeEnergy Information Administration (EIA) Publishing Style Guide. It's a good one to use as a sample, when you create your own.
- This site lists style guides and other documents that you can *BUY*. You can look at the table of contents of each of these books.
- This site discusses Active vs. Passive voice.
- Writing for the Web contains great advice whether you are writing for the web or not. This site actually includes the most important information of all -- it talks about the "audience." Whether you write web pages or not, you should look at this one.
- Here's a very comprehensive Online Technical Writing Textbook.
- Writing Guidelines for Engineering and Science Students has some great links and some great information -- including suggestions on audience assessment.
- At this site, you can read about Cascading Style Sheets.
- A Sample style guide is found here (open the pdf file). (This has the complete style guide.)
- Here's another sample style guide, The NAS Style Guide (NASA). (This has the complete style guide.)
- The Scriptorium Publishing Services Style Guide is another good and complete example of a style guide.
- Milwaukee School of Engineering Documentation and Style Guide provides very little information useful to a technical writer, but may be helpful to students.
- Yet Another Style Guide, 1.1
is a style guide for web pages but much of the information would work with other types of documents.
- This page provides some good advice about web pages, but some of it may be a little outdated (I'm not sure).
- Here's a Motif manual.
- Here's the Apple Style Guide (complete version in pdf).
- This page not only describes the contents of the Sun Microsystems Style Guide, but it gives an idea of the type of contents a style guide requires.
- Another goodstyle guide for web pages.
- This page explains Web style sheets.
- Here's some FREE ADVICE from the Chicago Manual of Style.
- If you want to BUY a book on technical writing, here's a very long list of what's available.
- Here's some FREE web page style advice from Sun Microsystems.
- MIT Librarie's Style/Usage Manuals page provides links to several style guides. This material is heavily slanted toward students.
- This HTML style guide site
offers, in my opinion, some pretty good tips for web documents.
- These Resources on web style provide many links to web page style guides and tips.
- A Guide to Creating Web Sites provides style tips, as well as suggestions about selecting a text markup language.
- This article gives tips for those who create online help.
- The Yale C/AIM Web Style Guide is well organized and good-looking.
- The Style Guide for Online Hypertext is very comprehensive.
- The IEEE Computer Society Style Guide offers a searchable IEEE Style Guide (1996 version). Personally, I disagree with some of the IEEE style suggestions because they are not always "user-friendly."
- WWWeb Hypertext Style
- calls itself the "Chicago Manual of Style" for contemporary (online documentation) authors. By Jerry Tutsch, Copyright © 1996.
- The West Virginia University Style Guide is a web page style guide that addresses some editorial issues.
- The UO/E Style Guide includes a discussion of the use of logos.
- Composing Good HTML. I only glanced at this document, but it seems heavy on text and short on examples. It may very well contain a lot of good information, though.
- If you'd rather BUY a style guide than create one, go to the Veridus Online Style Guide page for a customizable document.
- Another great style guide you can purchase at Amazon.com is Sun's Style Guide for the Computer Industry. Read more about this book by clicking HERE.
- You can order the Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications from Amazon.com.
- Buy the famous Chicago Manual of Style at Amazon.com. (I was unable to find an online version of this document.)
- A Brief Citation Guide for Internet Sources in History and the Humanities - based on A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 5th edition by Kate L. Turabian.
- International Mailing Address Formats - How to format international mailing addresses. Includes format information and/or examples for many countries, and links to additional references. Useful for figuring out how to write an address on your outgoing mail, deducing whether an address is complete, or even writing software that has to accept mailing addresses and not mangle them.
- Webcite - A citation generator to assist users in constructing MLA style citations for electronic resources. Requires a JavaScript-compatible web browser.
- Wired Style: Principles of English Usage in the Digital Age - originally a book produced by the editors of Wired magazine. Now updated online.
- Writing For Multimedia - an introductory guide to writing for interactive multimedia.
- Guide to Grammar and Style was revised as recently as August 3, 2001.
- Screenwriter & Playwright Writing Style Guide Book - Screen & Stage Marketing Secrets book takes you beyond formatting a script to editing the script to maximize visual writing; a form that sells screenplays and stageplays. You may have to search for your topic for a while, as this page seems very comprehensive.
- The C++ Programming Style Guide - might be used as a reference work by programmers and by people writing programmer's style guides.
- Writing Software Requirements Specifications contains great information on this type of document.
- This site details a very specific style topic. It discusses whether to use one space or two after a period.
- Strunk's Elements of Style
provides English grammar and usage information.
- Garbl's Writing Style and Usage Links provides links to various style guides and related information.
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View Tech Writing Sites
- This is a site that technical writers and non-technical writers can both appreciate. It contains LINKS, links, and more links to sites that discuss writing.
- The User Friendly Manuals' Website, by Peter Ring Consultants of Denmark, contains vast amounts of useful information and links. This is a very useful -- but not very flashy -- web site.
- Willa G. Cline's Mood Swings page has been renamed a bit, but it's still GREAT. It used to be called "Mood Swings for a Better Tomorrow," which I really liked. This page presents a great layout, interesting (and humorous) information, and a large, eclectic choice of links. These include very good links to "Web Design Resources" and other similar topics. You MUST visit this site, especially if you write web pages. I personally rate this page "5 stars," even though it's not exclusively devoted to tech writing.
- Here's a Flow chart of a technical writer's work.
- Here's an introduction to XML.
- Here are some good writer's links.
- Inkspot.com, Resources for Technical and Scientific Writers provides a broad set of links to articles and information for technical writers. This site looks like a good one.
- This Technical Writing
page contains links, job listings, etc.
- Technical Writing and Publishing is under construction, but looks nice and contains many tips for tech writers.
- Resources for New Technical Writers contains some interesting information for new writers.
- Wise Words gives some additional information new writers need to read, describing "What does a
Technical Author do?."
- For more links, check here.
- TechTalk, the "Newsletter of the STC-Twin Cities Chapter," is a great resource for technical writing articles.
- Debbie Cooper's Development Pages contains links to Ms. Cooper's writing samples.
- Writer's Block is an online "magazine" of interest to professional writers, including technical writers.
- The Mining Co: Technical Writing guide is a very good site that contains a large volume of information about technical writing.
- The The Official TECHWR-L
site is an excellent resource for tech writing subjects of many kinds. The site describes itself as "an unmoderated discussion forum for technical communication topics."
- Between Gigs: Writing Software Manuals for Profit
© Copyright July 1997 Julie K. Petersen. This page gives advice from a technical writer, in prose form.
- You can interesting information for "computer book authors" at the Computer Book Cafe, which bills itself as the site "where the computer book industry meets." This site includes articles by and about technical writers.
- The About.com guide to technical writing, by Gary Conroy, gives LOTS of links and information on technical writing subjects. This is a very good site. These links leave few topics uncovered.
- SPAWN - The Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network, contains information and ideas for writers. In May, 1999, this page was selected by Writer's Digest magazine as one of
"The 101 Best Web Sites for Writers."
- writersdigest.com is the home page for Writer's Digest magazine. This includes the "101 Best Web Sites for Writers". Be advised -- this site offers very little information for the tech-doc genre.
- Shannon McCready home page. A fellow technical writer's home page. This is a much more beautiful page than the one you're looking at (which is in its infancy), and it also contains some interesting links (albeit many are not technical writing sites). This web page repeatedly comes up on the search engines (under "technical writer"), so I decided to include it.
- Explanations by Ron Kurtis includes some thoughts from a technical writer (not all are about writing).
- Hyper Texas
- The Institute of Technical Editors
- Internet Resources for Technical Communicators
- Newbie Tech Writers site.
- Find more links to technical writing sites.
- webreview.com contains lots of good information for technical writers, desk top publishers, programmers, and web page developers. This includes good style guide information, tools, and other items. This site is subtitled, "cross-training for web teams." Unfortunately, I found this site to contain a lot more information than you may really want. Try starting at the part titled,
"Creating Your Site's Style Guide." Not only can you view style information, but you can click on additional links on the subject.
- The IEEE home page is the main site for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE). This is an important site for standards information.
- Association of Teachers of Technical Writing - membership applications, information on publications, calls for papers, news of faculty positions, and directions for subscribing to ATTW's e-mail list.
- Group Interviews as Source for Technical Proposal Writing - how to conduct group interviews to obtain source information for writing technical proposals.
- Society for Technical Communication (STC)
- SUNY Technical Institute - Technical Communication.
- University of Washington - Technical Communication.
- Usenet - bit.listserv.techwr-l.
- The Society of Technical Communication (STC) home page contains links and resources for tech writers.
- The Writer's Resource Center contains a variety of information on technical and non-technical writing.
- What if Dr. Seuss Wrote Technical Documentation. Humor. See also The Digital Clocktower.
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Find a Job
In the future, I'll add more items to this list. I suggest you use a search engine with the terms "jobs AND computers." This works well with Lycos, for example. You can also use "jobs AND your_area." For instance, search on "jobs AND Austin" or "employment AND Texas." Use the word "AND" to find sites containing both terms. Of course, you probably have your own methods for searching.
- Monster.com. This site lets you post your resume and look at job listings from everywhere or just in your own region. Due to recent changes, it takes a bit longer now to post your resume, but you'll probably get a quick response from employers.
- hotjobs.com.
- CareerMosaic.
- Sunoasis Jobs for writers, editors, and copywriters.
- Infoworks USA Job Search
- America's Job Bank.
- Recruiters Online Network
- CareerPath.com.
- statejobs.com, an Internet job source that allows you to search 20 specific states, including Texas. To Texas residents-- This is NOT the Governor's Job Bank.
- The Governor's Job Bank - Texas Only.
- State Government Jobs in ALL states.
- The Jobs Database for the Society of Technical Communication lists technical writing jobs worldwide. The STC home page also contains links to regional STC chapters, which may list jobs in your local area.
- The STC Job Bank in Austin lists technical writer positions available in the Austin, Texas area.
- The Writing Employment Center, maintained by the Writer's Resource Center, lists a variety of writing and editing positions, including technical writer positions nationionwide.
http://techwriting.about.com/arts/techwriting/bljobs.htm
- The Mining Co: Technical Writing guide contains a job board covering all areas.
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Join Professional Organizations
- Society for Technical Communication (STC), main home page, nationally. This site includes links to worldwide chapters..
- Society for Technical Communication (STC), Austin, Texas chapter.
- Society for Technical Communication (STC), Lone Star chapter.
- Society for Documentation Professionals (SDP).
-
American
Society for Training and Development
- Association
for Computing Machinery SIG on Documentation
- Association of
Professional Digital Publishers
- Association
of Teachers of Technical Writing
- Association
for Women in Computing
- Austin
Chapter, American Society for Training and
Development
- Austin
Webgrrls Chapter: Resource
for women in high tech, lots of links to HTML help sites,
post your qualifications on their powerbase
- Austin
Writers' League
- Desktop
Publishing SIG of the Central Texas PC Users
Group
- HTML
Writers Guild
- IABC
AustinArachnophilia Home Page(International
Association of Business Communicators)
- IEEE
Computer Society: Zines,
IEEE transactions and standards, documents
- IEEE
Professional Communication Society
- IICS
AustinArachnophilia Home Page(International
Interactive Communications Society)
- Internet
Developers Association/International Society of Internet
Professionals: Job
postings
- National
Association of Government Communicators
- National
Association for the Self-employed: Focuses on government policy
- Women in
Technology International:
Online articles, job postings, columns by experts in
business, finance, medicine, and psychology
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Product Technical Support Sites
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