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Technical Writers and Editors
Also see: http://www.writingnetwork.com
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In addition to strong writing skills, a technical writer should have a technical aptitude and the ability to learn quickly. The writer needs to be comfortable writing from source documents (such as design specifications and marketing requirements) as well as using the software to determine what needs to be documented. Technical writers need to be able to communicate easily with subject matter experts, engineers, end users, and technical support personnel. In addition, technical writers need project management skills, such as scoping a project, writing a documentation plan, and carrying it out within the specified deadline. A good technical writer understands that s/he is the advocate for the end user. So, determining what tasks are needed to enable the user to do a job is the focus of document design. After a design is in place, consistency of terminology and a minimalist approach to the writing help to produce quality documents. Technical writers should be familiar with the industry-standard writing tools, such as FrameMaker, RoboHelp, WebWorks Publisher, Word, PowerPoint, Visio, and Adobe Acrobat. Most writers need to produce their own flow charts and other line drawings. PaintShop Pro, Adobe Illustrator, PowerPoint and Visio are commonly used tools for developing graphics.
Technical Editing
An editor of technical papers should be comfortable with the common terminology and style used by sci/tech publishers. Although knowledge of all terms is not necessary, the editor should be able to assess consistent use of terms and to judge when common jargon of the discipline is appropriate. The editor should be comfortable with mathematical notation, including statistical terminology and the presentation of results in charts and diagrams. The editor should be able to evaluate and make suggestions to the author about presentation of data, processes, and algorithms. The editor must be adept at rewriting or substantially reworking technical material prepared by multiple authors in order to standardize and unify tone and voice. The editor should be comfortable with applying style specifications (e.g., IEEE, ACM) and variations unique to individual journals and symposia identified by the client. When editing a thesis, dissertation, or argumentative paper, the editor must understand the structure and flow of the argument. In addition, the editor must demonstrate the ability to guess or investigate the intention of writers for whom English is not a first language. Finally, although most documents are presented in MS Word, it is valuable to know how to edit documents in LaTeX.
Technical Editing: Theses and Dissertations
The academic editor should be familiar with common ways of structuring a dissertation. For example, the first and last chapters should be readable as a single document; interested readers can delve into the interior chapters for detail. It is important to state the "problem" and the "thesis" clearly. It is also important to clearly state the "solution" offered. Finally (and often overlooked by students), it is important to "validate" the thesis (i.e., show evidence that the solution offered does indeed support the thesis. Evidence might include mathematical theorems, simulations, prototype implementations, or statistical tests, among others.).
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Editors JEANNETTE CEZAN can help your ideas soar, dazzle, and rise above the ordinary. She is passionate about language and concerned about its correct usage (to the point of mentally correcting the grammar on public signs!). She brings a multicultural background and approach to every project, offering diverse viewpoints and an expression encompassing many different perspectives. She holds two masters degrees and a doctorate, so brings a strong background in academia to bear on projects as well. As a freelance writer and editor, she blends grammatical correctness with scintillating prose for projects as diverse as documentary and educational videos, articles and magazine columns, business plans, press releases, patent applications, technical documentation and business manuals, marketing collateral, Web site copy, brochures, advertising campaigns, and academic work. Edited fiction projects include mainstream, historical, mystery, romance, and speculative fiction manuscripts. Whatever your project, she can help you express it with words that will make a difference.
ESTHER DAVID-ROLAND is a writer and editor whose experience includes writing and editing in technical and non-technical subject areas. She has worked as a journalist, writer, and editor for more than 25 years and brings her many years of experience to each project. As a freelance copyeditor, Esther has worked with major publishers, businesses, and individuals, and has worked extensively with authors whose native language is not English. * Book editing (nonfiction)
The award-winning writing of KAREN DAVIS prompted one of many loyal clients to call her his "secret weapon in attaining communications supremacy." She earned magna cum laude degrees in English and history and world-class journalism credentials from the London Times and Regional Newspapers. Since 1976 she has been an international correspondent and author of hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles; publishing house editor (several books won American Library Association Outstanding Reference Source awards); acclaimed advertising writer (First Place in the Pacific Northwest, direct mail campaign) and technical writer ($10,000 First Place in North America, engineering paper); director of publications and marketing; author of style manuals; university lecturer in writing; and published lyricist and poet. She brings clarity and conciseness to confusing language and organization to chaos..
Cynthia Fleming-Wood has over 20 yrs of experience as a technical writer and editor. Her technical aptitude has enabled her to understand and document software in a wide range of subjects, including networking, wafer etching, medical equipment, databases, and CAD/CAM. In addition, she has worked on medical research documentation, including the following subject areas: artificial heart-valves, carcinogenic substances, HIV, renal disease, psychology, and pediatric gastroenterology. Cynthia creates technical information clearly, economically, accurately, and at an appropriate level for the audience. Her years of teaching make it easy for her to design documentation that meets the needs of the user. As a technical editor, Cynthia is dedicated to correct grammar and usage and is especially skilled at making edits that maintain the author's original meaning. She also ensures that documents adhere to the adopted style manual. Consistency of presentation ensures a clear understanding of the subject matter. Among the different types of technical documentation she creates are:
Publishing and Authoring Tools: Operating Systems:Windows XP, Windows 2000, UNIX, Linux, DIANE L. FOOSE has 20 years of experience as a full-time freelance copy editor and proofreader of books and journals in the fields of medicine and health, engineering, mathematics, law, the environment, and the social sciences. Some of the journals she has worked on are The Journal of Legal Medicine, Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds, Critical Reviews in Analytical Chemistry, Health Care for Women International, Ocean Development and International Law, Comparative Strategy, Traffic Injury Prevention, and Numerical Heat Transfer. Diane's assignments require an in-depth knowledge of editorial practices, familiarity with specific editorial styles (Chicago, APA, AMA), and an understanding of scientific and technical terms.
JENNIFER GARDNER is a full-time freelance proofreader and copyeditor who loves fact checking and is accomplished at substantive and structural editing. Her background is primarily in scientific and scholarly journals and books for publishers such as Taylor & Francis books and CRC Press as well as in “soft” science publications for such presses as Allworth and Pointed Leaf. Journals she has worked on include Endothelium; Receptors and Channels; Environmental Forensics; Tribology Transactions; Journal of Children’s Health; Fiber & Integrated Optics; The Engineering Economist; Microscale Thermophysical Engineering; The Clinical Neuropsychologist; and several others. Books she has worked on include A Practical Guide to the Thematic Apperception Test: The TAT in Clinical Practice; Enhancing Intimacy in Marriage: A Clinician’s Guide; Self-Supervision: A Primer for Counselors and Helping Professionals; Cleanroom Microbiology for the Non-Microbiologist; Periodicities in Nonlinear Difference Equations; Home Treatment for Acute Mental Disorders; The Art of Writing Love Songs; Managing Artists in Pop Music; The Directors: Part 4; At War with Time; How to Start a Faux Painting or Mural Business; The Perfect Stage Crew; Improv for Actors; The Real Business of Photography; The Art of Auditioning; Business and Legal Forms for Illustrators; The Radio Producer’s Handbook; Moko Jumbies; and several others.
GLENN HILTON has 33 years of writing and editing experience, starting with 26 years as a faculty member in the Department of Computing and Information Science at Queen's University in Canada. During this time he supervised numerous Ph.D. and M.Sc. dissertations, served on many examination committees in engineering and the natural sciences, reviewed many articles for research journals, published a textbook in computer systems, and published numerous journal and conference papers. Since retiring from Queen's he has worked as a technical editor and writer. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science and a B.Eng. in Electrical Engineering. His subjects of specialization include computer systems, software engineering, computer security, computer science, formal methods, requirements specification, electrical engineering, engineering, mathematics, information technology, telecommunications, computer networks, physics, chemistry, operating systems, UNIX, LaTex, Framemaker, and RoboHELP. SUZANNE MANNESS is an English professor specializing in technical and business writing. She has written and edited technical manuals, informational brochures, business proposals, and grants. She has also written computer user manuals and technical instrumentation directions. Additionally, she has edited many medical textbooks and medical articles on such subjects as heart transplants, pain management, and anesthesiology. She is an expert in all documentation systems such as Chicago Style, Harvard, APA, American Anthropological Association, and MLA. Her specialty is taking complex material and translating that material into a clear, concise, audience-friendly document.
HOLLY MONTEITH, a professional copy editor, holds a M.A. in linguistics from Rice University and a B.A. with honors in nonfiction writing from the Johns Hopkins University. She has worked as a copy editor within the scientific/technical/medical peer-reviewed journal industry for over 5 years and has extensive experience copyediting scientific and social science texts ranging from articles to theses to book manuscripts. Ms. Monteith’s copyediting expertise extends beyond the word level to encompass figure, table, and mathematical and chemical equation editing. Ms. Monteith specializes in the APA and Chicago editorial styles.
LOUISE O'DONALD is a freelance editor and has more than 25 years of experience working with technical and business publications: journals, magazines, manuals, theses, dissertations, policies and procedures, press releases, proposals, reports, and white papers. She has specialized documentation experience in the computer and engineering field, and has worked for a number of computer peripherals and systems manufacturers and for a military defense contractor. Louise has in-depth experience with copyediting, developmental editing, substantive editing, and proofreading. She has expertise in adjusting the level of edit according to client needs, working closely with authors to retain voice and technical accuracy. Louise possesses particular skill in querying authors and subject matter experts from many countries on widely varied technical subjects, and in applying US English idiom. Her specialties are APA and Chicago Manual of Style.
NANCY ROSENBAUM's experience includes writing and editing materials (functional specs, users guides, administrators guides, release notes, data sheets, quick reference guides, training material, help text, test plans with use cases) for commercial software and hardware companies, as well as the internal IT departments of pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, and consulting companies. Nancy hs also written and edited multi-volume permit applications, operating guides, hazard communications standards, and emergency response procedures for environmental engineering and remediation companies. Nancy ensures each document is targeted to its audience, maximizing the document's impact and usability.
ELANA SHIPPEN, P.E., is a licensed professional engineer in mechanical engineering with 22 years of experience, including 14 years in the aerospace industry with Boeing Company's commercial airplanes program. She edits scientific and technical material, such as engineering books, design requirement documents, process documents, Request for Proposal (RFP), reference guides, case studies, and academic research papers and journals. Elana also offers a technical editing course, for those currently working or studying in technical fields. This course provides steps for improving the technical writing style and offers key strategies for enhancing the overall quality of technical communications. Elana completed the Technical Writing and Editing Certificate Program at the University of Washington in 2001. MELISSA SIMPSON teaches academic writing and business and technical communications at Hendrix College and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Universities. She is skilled in MLA, APA, and Chicago manuals of style. Her work includes writing, editing and testing educational/tutorial manuals and users manuals. She has edited resumes, application letters, fiction and non-fiction books, textbooks, bibliographies, theses, and dissertations. She holds a Master of Arts degree in English and a Bachelor of Arts degree with distinction in English (summa cum laude). She is also a published author whose biography of author Flannery O'Connor was published in 2005. |
Submission Please fill out this form to request a quote OR Cut and paste the questions and answers into an e-mail: Required: Along with a sample, the following information is required. Ignore questions that do not apply to your project (e.g., footnotes). (01) Word count of complete project (under "Tools" in MS Word): (02) Put your 100-word (approx) synopsis/description here (or attach): (03) Describe your genre and topic (e.g., nonfiction/self-help, science fiction, horror, romance, mystery, Western, young adult, children, poetry, Christian, creative nonfiction, literary): (04) Deadline date, if any, for return of complete project. (Please be realistic. Remember that professional editors usually have a project in process.): (05) If you have no immediate deadline, when do you want to start the editing process?: (For instance: within 30 days, within 60 days, within 90 days, 4-12 months) (06) Level of editing desired/expected --
(07) Number of charts/tables/pictures (if any): (08) Writing style/format manual (e.g., Chicago Manual, APA, MLA), if applicable: (09) Number of footnotes/references: (10) Do you have a contract with an agent or publisher?: (11) Do you plan to self-publish?: (12) What is your budget for the entire project? $ ________________ (13) Your name: (14) E-mail addresses: (15) Day/evening phone numbers (required -- in case the response to your e-mail bounces or the editors need clarification regarding the scope of service needed, deadline, etc.): (16) City, State, Country (or time zone): (17) The name(s) of the editor(s)/writer(s) you'd like to contact. (18) How did you learn about our service?: (19) Attach writing sample(s) (e.g., prologue, chapter 1, proposal, query) Notes: No hidden charges To learn more about the rates charged by professional editors, please see: Editorial Freelancers Association It is a mistaken notion that freelance editors work "on spec" (speculation) with no payment to the editor. It is basically asking the editor to work for free. There's no guarantee that a book will see a profit (or even be published). The editors posted here do not work on spec. Note: Price quotes and time estimates for individual editors cannot be given over the phone or via chat. This is a network of freelance editors with varying prices and work schedules (see our FAQ). To obtain a price quote please follow the procedures listed on our quotes page. Contact live support if you do not receive a response within three hours. It is possible that your submission was not received. You may also page the network coordinator by leaving voicemail or sending a fax to 469-789-3030. Please be as complete as possible in representing your project's scope and size so you will receive the most accurate estimate. Disclaimer: Your agreement, whether oral or written, is with your freelance editor / proofreader / writer, not with the freelance network as a whole or its coordinator. |
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