Newsletter of the Society for Technical Communication, San Francisco Chapter
December 2011/January 2012

Letter From the Editor

Dear Readers,

Many times tech writers are asked to simultaneously work as an individually and as part of a team--almost a paradox. It's one of those things that can be hard to describe because it's such an integral part of many tech writer's jobs. However, during the time that I've volunteered for the San Francisco Chapter, I've learned that there's an easy way to describe and demonstrate that paradox in real life. As newsletter editor, I:

Am a volunteer with a regular task, part of the team that keeps the chapter humming on a regular basis.
Manage a small team, reminding the regular contributors, such as the current president and the membership chair, to submit their pieces for the next issue; asking occasional contributors, such as the meeting reviewers and those who write about timely topics, to submit their work; then asking our QA, Keith, to give it a final eagle eye before publication; and last, asking Andra to post it on the web and Mysti to send the announcement.
Work individually to review submissions to catch the occasional oops and prep the finished pieces for publication.

What a great demonstration of the team/individual paradox! Other people with other volunteer titles help with planning and occasional events, in addition to their regular tasks. Perhaps you can pitch in as part of the San Francisco chapter's team/individual paradox. How about making it a resolution for the New Year?

I'm looking forward to seeing you soon at a meeting.

Marie McElravy, Editor