What is austechwriter?

In 1998, Abelard Consulting established an internet forum for local technical writers. This forum is called austechwriter (shorthand for Australian Technical Writers). It now has close to 500 members.

austechwriter is a free on-line forum and announcement service for technical writers. It can be accessed via email and via the web.

austechwriter is an open forum. This means that anyone who has an interest in technical communication can subscribe and post messages. When you post a message, your message is automatically sent to all those who subscribe to the forum.

Messages will not be moderated; in other words, no-one will vet or reject any message posted by a subscriber. However, only text messages are allowed on austechwriter. Attachments are not allowed primarily because of the ever-present threat of malicious viruses.

What's its purpose? Firstly, it's a discussion forum...

The principal purpose of this forum is to provide technical writers with a shared medium to discuss the theory and practice of technical communication. Subscribers are welcome to pose questions, answer other subscribers’ questions, propose particular topics for general discussion, comment on subscribers’ postings, share software tips, share their discovery of useful tools, journals, books or web sites, post reviews of books, software or conferences, advertise software or books or the need for software or books … indeed, post any type of message as long as it is relevant to technical writing.

austechwriter can also be used as a forum for discussing housekeeping issues of relevance to the profession of technical writing in Australia. For instance, postings could cover tax or superannuation issues of concern to contract technical writers, or the various types of contracts offered to Australian technical writers.

Subscribers can also use the forum to advertise their forthcoming availability for technical writing positions, or to notify others of forthcoming positions they know about.

How to join
To become a subscriber, enter your email address below, select Subscribe from the list of options and click Send.

You can also send a blank email to austechwriter-request@freelists.org with SUBSCRIBE in the Subject field.

How to post messages
After receiving confirmation of your subscription, you can send messages to the forum. Address your messages to austechwriter@freelists.org.

How to unsubscribe
Enter your email address in the form above, select Unsubscribe from the list of options and click Send.

Alternatively, send a blank email to austechwriter-request@freelists.org with UNSUBSCRIBE in the Subject field. Send your request from the same email address you used to join the forum.

Manage your subscription
You can manage your subscription (and view messages) by going to the austechwriter web site: www.freelists.org/list/austechwriter. From this site you can, for example, request just a daily digest of all individual postings, or temporarily suspend receiving postings. (Some options are also available using the form above.)

Archives
All postings for the last five years can be read at the austechwriter archives.

Further assistance
Enter your email address in the form above, select Get Help from the list of options and click Send.

Alternatively, send your query to austechwriter-admins@freelists.org

Secondly, it's an announcement service

But austechwriter is more than just a discussion forum for those who work in, or have an interest in, technical communication. It is also an announcement service for those who, though not subscribers, have information of relevance they wish to make known to technical writers.

Some examples: a recruitment agency can advertise a technical writing position; professional societies can make their services known; the organiser of a lecture or conference on technical communication can publicise that lecture or conference; a software house can alert users to the availability of a patch for, or new version of, a software tool; the editor of a technical writing journal can publicise the contents of the next issue of the journal; the tutor of a course in technical communication can make details of the course known; publishing houses can publicise a forthcoming book on technical writing; etc.