New member introduction: Melanie Murphy

Melanie Murphy is new to the IDL SIG, but not new to technical communication. Working as an independent technical communicator since 2002, Melanie is a Certified Professional Technical Communicator with a degree in mass communication. Over the years, she has worked on graphic design projects, software user manuals, three-thousand-page catalogs, copywriting, editing, marketing communication, cookbooks, and so much more. With such a diverse background, Melanie is happy to be here lending her skills to the IDL SIG.

Melanie is serving as the newsletter co-editor, gathering and editing articles for your reading pleasure on a quarterly basis.

Melanie answered when we asked, “What…”:

What’s your morning go-to beverage?

Coffee, coffee, and more coffee. I don’t start working until my coffee kicks in. I am more of a night owl than an early bird, and it can take some time for me to kick it into gear some mornings.

What was your first mobile phone?

This is a question that will date a person, but my first mobile was the original Motorola flip phone. Imagine: Texting was just getting started back then, and we had to pay per text. If we had to do that today, we’d go broke or change the way we communicate. Do you see that small screen? It wasn’t very “smart,” but it got the job done.

What do you like to do to relax?

I enjoy quilting, and have a side business as a longarm quilter. If I’m taking a break from everything here at home, you’ll find me reading fiction with a cat on my lap or at my computer playing hidden object adventure games.

What led you to tech comm? 

When I was in college, I took an introduction to technical writing class and I’ve never looked back. I’ve known since I was nine years old that I would be a writer of some kind, and when I found the neat and orderly world of tech comm, I was all in. I also enjoy learning new things and sharing that knowledge with others, so the instructional aspect appealed to me as well.

What professional skills do you think everyone should have?

Communication, time management, and organizational skills will take you far in the adult world. In your personal or professional life, nobody can read your mind, so developing the skill to get your ideas across to an audience is vital. Time management, and using your time wisely, is another skill that takes practice but is worth it in the end. Organization? Don’t get me started. Life is so much easier once you organize your way out of making so many decisions on a daily basis. For example, if you have your closet organized so you can pick out an outfit the night before, that’s one less decision you have to make tomorrow.