Now that I’m semi-retired (always open to short-time, remote work), I have a bit of time to offer some wisdom from years of doing the job. Here’s the first installment.
Many companies SAY that they need Technical Writing support, but do not want to properly support the Technical Writer.
They hamstring the Writer by forcing them to use poor tools.
Example?
A company that only wants to use Microsoft products. Word is nefarious for getting wonky when you have heavy text that runs to more than 100 pages. Its ability to create a Book from individual Chapters is woefully inadequate. Tracking revisions screws up the layout, giving you no idea of what the end product will look like.
Fixing layout problems in Word is time-consuming and frustrating for a professional Writer who is likely under a deadline. Looking for and fixing tabs and extra spaces inserted by the originator (in the aim of making things look better) consumes far too much precious time.
Word is just fine for small stuff, say up to about 50 pages. But its ability to precisely position text and cutlines is another handicap. You add text to a paragraph, and suddenly the layout slews drunkenly and unpredictably around, pushed by a hand that is not yours.
Of course, the better solution is FrameMaker.
Oh, but it’s incompatible!
Oh, but it’s difficult!
Oh, but only one person will know how to use it!
Oh, but it’s way faster, more precise, and bulletproof, once you have your templates the way you like them. People with zero experience can be up and running within minutes, and turn out professional-looking results. Engineers and Technical Staff won’t be tempted to spend hours screwing around with fonts and layout, because it’s all done for them. They can hand off draft material that can then be easily crafted into a finished, comprehensive, straightforward document, and revisions are simple to handle.
Okay, no need to keep hammering on a point that’s been made.
Just need to add the moral: If they INSIST on Microsoft, then they need to be asked, WHY?
Complex Made Simple 