Announcing Intercom’s 2011 Editorial Calendar

Guest post from Intercom editor Liz Pohland I am pleased to announce the Intercom Editorial Calendar for 2011. Along with providing potential authors with submission deadlines, the editorial calendar is a product of brainstorming sessions about what content STC should publish in its magazine and what the trending or “hot” topics are in the field. It is used to provide guidance to potential authors and to ensure that content is of interest to readers and advertisers. The 2011 themes were chosen via a collaborative process—as the editor, I always draw on my own knowledge and experience as a technical communicator and PhD student, but I also value the advice and feedback I solicit and receive from the Editorial Advisory Panel members and STC members at large. Altogether, we have comprised a collection of well over 100 potential topics for coverage in Intercom! And I’m sure there are many more out there. The editorial calendar should also be used as a general subject guide for Intercom feature articles and columns. As always, I encourage all readers and members to consider submitting to Intercom (on these topics or any others you find relevant) and to continue providing me with feedback on the topics we are (or should be) covering in the coming year. Guidelines for submission are online. I look forward to hearing more from you! See the 2011 editorial calendar on the Intercom Online home page under “Write for Intercom,” or review it below. January 2011 An Overview of Accessibility, Disability Studies, and Universal Design Topics Submissions due 1 November 2010  February 2011 Technically, Is It All Communication? Defining the Tech Comm Field and Roles, and Exploring How We Stand Out in a Crowd of Writers and Communicators Submissions due 1 December 2010  March 2011 ISO, OASIS, W3C: Navigating and Applying Technical Communication Standards Submissions due 1 January 2011  April 2011 Content Management and Information Strategies: User-Optimized Content and Other Alternatives to Content Delivery Submissions due 1 February 2011 May 2011 Emerging Industries for Tech Comm: What Growth Industries Are Providing New Professional Opportunities for Technical Communicators? Submissions due 1 March 2011 June 2011 Social Media for Technical Communication: What Every Communicator Needs to Know to Stay Competitive Submissions due 1 April 2011 July/August 2011 Technical Communication’s Essential Toolbox: Identifying the Tool Genres that Are Crucial for Getting Your Job Done Submissions due 1 May 2011  September/October 2011 Tech Comm and New Media: How Technical Communicators Are Using and Remixing Video, Images, Music, and the Spoken and Written Word Submissions due 1 July 2011  November 2011 Tech Comm on the Move: Mobile Communication Technologies and Strategies Submissions due 1 September 2011  December 2011 Tech Comm and Gaming: How Are Games Used in Technical Communication and What Documentation Do Games Need? Submissions due 1 October 2011