This month, we are learning about Linda Farnworth! Linda has spent much of her career as an Information Officer in the provincial government. Her love of explaining complicated legislation to the public led her to complete the Technical Communication program at Simon Fraser University and the Grant Writing course at BCIT. She is currently expanding her portfolio by volunteering and working on various technical writing projects and is actively seeking interesting plain language projects.
Me: What most interests you about technical writing?
Linda: I love learning new things and technical writing can provide opportunities to learn many different things. I like organizing information and using my knowledge of plain language to word and format information so people can more easily follow and understand information.
Me: What tools do you most like using and why?
Linda: I am learning InDesign right now. I like it better than MS Word for producing a document with some creativity; but each tool has its purpose.
Me: Why did you decide to become a technical communicator?
Linda: I spent many years working as an Information Officer for the Provincial Government. This involved explaining complex legal information to all kinds of skill levels. I learned I like making English plain by breaking down and translating complex information; rewording the information into something the public could understand. So when I was looking for a career change, technical writing seemed a perfect choice.
Me: What aspect of Technical Communication are you most interested in pursuing?
Linda: I am most interested in creating plain language documents because of my plain language background.
Me: What do you like most about being a STC CWC member?
Linda: The networking is helpful and I enjoy the special guests that come in to talk to us about a topic. I always learn something.
Me: What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of the field so far?
Linda: I find it difficult to get work experience because I am a recent graduate.
Me: What do you like to do outside of your career? Interesting hobbies or pastimes?
Linda: I have many hobbies and interests and never seem to be bored. I enjoy the outdoors by cycling, hiking, camping, walking, photography, etc. Inside, I like to learn new software, work on my photos with Photoshop, read novels, research for and plan trips (Australia next). I also volunteer. I volunteered at the Port Moody Station Museum – researched and wrote a section for their recently published “coffee table” book of Port Moody’s history. Currently, I volunteer at a not-for-profit organization as a Grant Writer.
