Letter from the Editor

By Cindy Reid
Welcome to a New Year and a new issue of The Willamette Galley. Very hopefully you had a wonderful holiday season and have by now had a chance to establish all those resolutions!

You may have noticed a couple of new names attached to The Willamette Galley. As of the holidays, Kevin Cox and I transitioned into the positions of Assistant Editor and Editor, respectively. We are excited to volunteer on behalf of the Willamette Valley chapter in this capacity, and look forward to a fantastic year, publishing timely and interesting technical communications articles for you. Please read more about us at the end of this letter.

This Month's Issue

This month we cover the various Tools & Techniques used daily in our jobs as technical communicators, even revealing a few tips about the softer skills in our "toolbox." Coming from as far as Colorado, this month's articles include such topics as style sheets, finding your muse, sand dollars (sand dollars?), and ideas on how to get your clients to pay you (but not in sand dollars).

Don't forget to check out the new Senior Member Interview column, the Software Review column, and the updated list of our Community Resources, too. There's a lot going on out there.

Upcoming Issues

For the next issue, we're on to Online Writing. Do you have tips about writing for online projects that are worthy of sharing with others? How about suggestions for those of us involved in international online projects? Do you have a new online tool that helps make your job easier? If you have a story to tell about your online experiences or how your products have evolved through the use of online technology, please share them with the STCWVC membership by submitting an article to cindycomm@attbi.com. Please submit your articles by February 15, 2003.

There's always room for your article! Do you have an article that you'd like to publish in The Willamette Galley newsletter? Or would you like to contribute, but aren't sure what to write about? Volunteers are always welcome! Whether you're a student just getting into technical communications, a technical communicator new to the region, or a senior member with lots of experience, there are always volunteer opportunities available. Please feel free to contact Cindy Reid at cindycomm@attbi.com or Kevin Cox at knccomm@yahoo.com.

Cindy Reid

In 1988, I received a BA in Journalism from the University of Oregon. Since then, my communications career has taken me from public relations writing, to events management, to training, and to web design and management. Currently, my time is filled continuing my education in technical writing (through PCC's Technical and Professional Writing Program), and volunteering, including work on the STC Region 7 web site upgrade - so keep your eyes peeled. I currently maintain membership in only the STC. I am the Willamette Galley Newsletter Editor for the Society for Technical Communication, Willamette Valley Chapter. I can be reached at cindycomm@attbi.com.

Kevin Cox

I received a Bachelor of Arts in Music from California State University at Hayward (where I also took a lot of English classes) in 1985, and am self-employed part-time as a singer and percussionist; I am also a composer, and have a Web site for this purpose at knccomm@yahoo.com. I received a Certificate in Technical and Professional Writing from Portland Community College in 2002. After six years' experience in desktop publishing, I transitioned into the related fields of technical writing and Web design, which I have been doing for four years. My most recent work was as a technical writer for Electro Scientific Industries, and I'm now looking for other opportunities. In 2001 I was the Audio Video Coordinator for the STC Regional Conference, held here in Portland, Oregon, and sponsored by the Willamette Valley Chapter. I began my service for the Willamette Galley in December of 2002 as Assistant Editor. I can be reached at knccomm@yahoo.com.