API tech writing workshop comes to New York City
On Monday, September 21st, I’m hosting a full-day workshop in New York City, on API technical writing. It’s free, and you’re invited. There’s free food too!
The workshop is happening in collaboration with the New York Metro Chapter of the STC (Society for Technical Communication). Anyone interested in learning about this role is welcome to attend – you don’t need to be a member of the STC.
Quick signup link: Register to attend the workshop on the STC New York Metro website.
What is API technical writing?
API stands for Application Programming Interface. Developers use APIs to make apps that communicate with other apps and software/hardware components. API technical writers create documentation and other content that helps developers hook their apps up to someone else’s API.
For a tech writer, it’s an exciting, challenging and rewarding field. I love it!
This workshop gives you hands-on experience with APIs and API documentation, insight into the demands of the role, and plenty of information for your own follow-up study.
Workshop details
Date: Monday, September 21st, 2015
Time: 9am to 4pm – breakfast and setup are at 9am, for a start at 9:30 sharp
Instructor: Sarah Maddox – that’s me ;)
Cost: None. The workshop is given free of charge.
Location: The Google offices in New York city: 76 Ninth Avenue, New York, NY 10011. (Link on Google Maps.) Enter through the tenant entrance at the corner of 16th St and 9th Ave, and report to the workshop registration table. (It will have Google-branded linen.)
This is a practical course on API technical writing, consisting of lectures interspersed with hands-on sessions where you’ll apply what you’ve learned. The focus is on APIs themselves as well as on documentation, since we need to be able to understand and use a product before we can document it.
The workshop includes the following sessions:
Lecture: Introduction to APIs, including a demo of some REST and JavaScript APIs.
Hands-on: Play with a REST API.
Lecture: JavaScript essentials.
Hands-on: Play with a JavaScript API.
Lecture: The components of API documentation and other developer aids.
Hands-on: Generate reference documentation using Javadoc.
Lecture: Beyond Javadoc – other doc generation tools.
Lecture: Working with an engineering team
Preparation for the workshop
Please take a look at the event announcement to see what you need to install on your laptop before the workshop. Doing the recommended installations will save you a lot of time at the workshop so that you can avoid missing crucial bits when you’re there.
Hope to see you there!
Here’s that signup link on STC New York Metro site.
I’m looking forward to meeting a number of New York technical writers!
A slide from the workshop
