Profile: Technical Writers Hit the Best-Seller List (05-31-99)

Mastering HTML 4.0 (Sybex, Inc., 1997), written by Deborah Ray (BA 1995) and Eric Ray (MA 1996) reached the #13 spot on the top 50 list of programming books. Another of their manuals, Netscape Composer for Dummies, has recently been published by IDG Books Worldwide. Two earlier books won top honors at the 1997 Society for Technical Communications International Publications Competition: Dummies 101: HTML won the Distinguished Technical Communication Award--the highest given--while HTML for Dummies Quick Reference won the Excellence award.

Of their success, Deb notes, "We were able to pull in a lot of our technical writing education into the projects. Audience analysis comes into about every conversation with project editors, as does document design, editing, and communication theory." The Utah-based couple are also working in partnership with Digital Equipment Corporation, consulting and providing content for their AltaVista Web site.

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