Hello, my name is Dave Damianakes, founder of Bay Area Tech Writers. Welcome to my blog on communication and tech writing.
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Something John Steinbeck Taught Me About Writing
John Steinbeck is my favorite American author. He’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but the aesthetic of his writing, his fundamental philosophy and the compassion for humanity in his written work appeal to me. When I started writing fiction, I worked very hard to write descriptive prose like he did. Though my work was not…
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Tech Writers Help Build Organizational Strength
When most people think of a tech writer, they think of someone who simply writes technical documents. In reality, however, tech writers play a significant role in helping develop better understanding, agreement and overall alignment among team members, thereby building organizational strength. How, you ask? Well, through document reviews and the facilitation of meetings with…
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What’s in a Word Anyway?
So, beyond clear and concise documentation. They can bring people together in a company and facilitate better company cohesion, through a glossary. The year was 2000. I’m in a product marketing meeting, looking around this very long table and thinking: I know everyone here is speaking English. I recognize the words. But I’ve never heard them used this…
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Receiving with Intention – It Makes a World of Difference
This is another follow up to “The Real Cost of Poor Communication.” My last post was about sending communication. This one is about receiving, listening. Receiving communication can be uncomfortable, sometimes painful as hell. Ask anyone who has been dumped or fired. As a writer, I have a lot of experience being uncomfortable receiving communication. It…
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A Few Ways Sending Communication Can Break Down
This is a follow up to “The Real Cost of Poor Communication.” There are some basic skills people can work on to improve sending communication. They might seem obvious, but when it hits the fan, believe me they aren’t. First, communication is intentional, which implies some conscious thought and decision, that you want someone to…
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The Real Cost of Poor Communication
Have you ever considered what poor communication costs an organization? As a seasoned writer who helps clients clarify their communications for a living, I sure have. When my mom was alive and going in and out of the hospital (in her case, Kaiser), I spent a lot of time dealing with both the staff and…