The Newsletter for the Southwestern Ontario Chapter of the Society for Technical Communication
September 2003 (Volume 15 Number 1)
In This Issue:
September Means Back to School STC
Find out what a new STC year, Huntsville, and school supplies have in common for our chapter's president. [More]
The STC Makes History - 50 Years and Still Counting
IBM just released its first mainframe computer the year that the STC began. Could this be a coincidence? Learn more about the history of the STC and the time when the Southwestern Ontario Chapter's newsletter was called The Goose. [More]
Getting Graphic for the Newsletter Banner Competition
Graphic artists, the time to be creative is near. We need a new banner to complement The Quill's new look and format. Check out the contest rules and requirements. [More]
Technical Communications Competition 2003-2004
Once again we are providing people with the opportunity to have their online and technical publications judged. Discover the process for these competitions and find out how to submit your work to see if it is award worthy. [More]
Upcoming Meetings
Meetings are a valuable source of information. Check out the meetings for the next few months. [More]
From Writer to Illustrator
Many of us would consider ourselves writers, but we would consider it to be out of our comfort zone to be an illustrator. Find out how to make effective use of graphics without being a graphic artist. [More]
Telephone Seminars
September marks the beginning of a new series of telephone seminars. [More]
The Consulting and Independent Contracting Corner
Consulting and Independent Contracting (CIC) is a Special Interest Group (SIG).
If you are already a contractor, or if you are considering whether to try this type of work, this is the place to look for relevant information. Elaine Garnet, the CIC-SIG Manager, writes about Starting a Business. [More]
Portfolio Opportunities
Don't lose out on a job because you haven't written for a newsletter or have never done work for a not-for-profit organization. Build your portfolio as you volunteer to produce submissions for The Quill. [More]
Contact Information
Council members are a source of information. Find out how to contact them. [More]
In the News
Several STC members provided the information that was used to create the cover article about technical communicaton that appeared in the August 2, Grand River Life section. This section was included in the Kitchener Record, Guelph Mercury and Cambridge Times. [More]
The Editor's Message:
Welcome to the first issue of The Quill for the 2003-2004 year. My name is Debbie Kerr, and I am this year's Quill editor. This promises to be an exciting year for The Quill, including a new look, new content, and new volunteer opportunities.
The Look
One of the first exciting changes for The Quill is its format: you'll notice that the newsletter is now in HTML. Each month, chapter members will receive an e-mail with a link to the latest issue of the newsletter. There are a few reasons for this change in format: the new format provides a more contemporary image for our chapter to more accurately reflect our online savvy as technical communicators; and provides a more cost-effective and efficient way to distribute the newsletter.
The Content
To reflect the wide range of skills in this profession, The Quill will contain a wide range of topics. While there will continue to be meeting announcements and summaries, as well as information about upcoming seminars and workshops, there will also be some new features. Watch for these additions over the next couple of months!
Volunteer Opportunities
To help build your portfolio or share your knowledge, why not look at the Portfolio Opportunities page. The Quill is not just a source of information; it is an opportunity for development worth exploring.
Thank You
I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who contributed to this issue of The Quill. I especially wanted to thank Opal Gamble, Shannon Hilker, and Margie Yundt for their assistance, which was offered even before I asked. In addition to answering my many questions, Opal also worked with me to come up with the layout for this newsletter.