Category Archives: Uncategorized

Getting Back to Work After Vacation

Posted on December 2, 2019 by Bart Leahy

Ten years ago, I decided to take an extended trip to Europe to celebrate my 40th birthday (go ahead, do the math, I won’t be offended). After a truly amazing vacation, I came back to the office to find my … Continue reading →

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When to Use Utilize

Posted on November 18, 2019 by Bart Leahy

The short version: when in doubt, don’t use the word utilize. It’s an unlovely construction that sounds wordy/pretentious and shouldn’t have been incorporated into English in the first place, but here we are. I have some additional things to share on … Continue reading →

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To Ampersand or Not to Ampersand?

Posted on November 14, 2019 by Bart Leahy

I am not fond of the ampersand (&). It’s a shortcut piece of punctuation that substitutes for “and.” I’m sure it’s useful and makes sense on some level; the problem for me is that it is often overused when it … Continue reading →

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Levels of Editing and When You Need Them

Posted on October 28, 2019 by Bart Leahy

Technical writers and editors have their own nuances to their work, which are not always understood or appreciated by others. One type of nuance is the “level of edit” you’re applying to a document. Generally there are three levels of … Continue reading →

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Hobbies and the Happy Tech Writer

Posted on October 21, 2019 by Bart Leahy

As I noted recently, I recently took up volunteering with the local community theater in Southwest Orange County–a broad area north of Walt Disney World called Horizon West.  I haven’t done theater since high school, but I found myself really … Continue reading →

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