About Sherry Snider:
Sherry Snider, Technical Writer evolved over years of teaching (English, reading, & speech), then, working in the IT (Information Technology) field. After documenting hundreds of technical processes and teaching others how to duplicate results, technical writing and training became the next logical career path.
After many happy years of corporate employment as a documentation specialist and technical trainer, opportunities for independent contract and freelance work opened even more doors including documentation and training projects ranging from school and transit bus parts through HAZMAT procedures.
Sherry still takes technical writing, multimedia, training, and consulting projects in a variety of industries. Though hardware (assembly, troubleshooting, repair, etc.) and software (user manuals, admin manuals, developers’ guides, etc.) are usually her favorite projects, pretty much any customer with cool toys and tech to master has a good chance of capturing her interest…especially if her specific experience and skills offer significant value to the project or customer/client.
Sherry also shares her silly/fun projects and children’s books under the pen names, Wendy Tush and PJ Thyme. Since the reading audiences for children’s books and technical/academic works are entirely different, pen names were definitely necessary to separate Sherry’s bibliography into distinct genres.
All of Sherry’s books are available on Amazon published by Cottaquilla Press.
What inspires you to write?
Everything I write is inspired by questions. How did they do that? What if…?
Then, I document the answers as I test, write, and design.
Tell us about your writing process.
I’m an old school outliner.
If I already know the process or basic outline, I just open a Word doc and make a hierarchical list. This usually becomes (or looks very much like) the TOC of the book.
If I’m doing more creative projects with lots of possibilities (especially fiction), I jot down keywords or key phrases on note cards. Once I have all the information in a stack of cards, I start sorting them into an outline on the floor. When it starts to take shape, I tack the cards on a huge cork board until I have a chance to flesh out the outline. (I used to use post-it notes…which was nice for color-coding, but people laughed at my colorful and “tacky” walls.)
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
No. …never “talked” to my characters. I just flesh out detailed notes about them and get to know them well enough to know what they would say and how they would say it in each situation. Then I just “document” the conversations I imagine they would have with each other and fill in the descriptive details.
What advice would you give other writers?
Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, always, always, always, write for the intended reader. You may consider your books your babies, but when you publish, you’re really putting them up for adoption…by a second mom or dad (reader). Think of how the readers perceive the books (babies). If a reader truly enjoys or learns from a book, it also becomes his or her baby.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I prefer to self-publish. Traditional publishing certainly has its appeal, but I usually write for very small niches that might not be as financially beneficial for a traditional publisher’s investment. Plus, I’m a techie. As a technical writer, I already knew most of the skills involved, so self-publishing satisfies my inner-geek.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think the future of publishing (traditional or indie) belongs to those who connect with readers. Whether it’s personal interaction between the author and readers or the connection made when readers enjoy the book, it’s the connection that appeals to readers.
What do you use?: Professional Editor
What genres do you write?: techie, instructional, how to, children’s books, fiction,
What formats are your books in?: eBook, Print, Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Sherry Snider Home Page Link
Link To Sherry Snider Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
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All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit, to allow you, the reader, to hear the author in their own voice.
