---
title: "Lightning talks from San Francisco Write the Docs meetup"
date: 2016-04-03
description: "Writing globally for locals, by Laura Stewart Contributing to open-source projects through documentation, by Rhonda Glennon Writing effective app copy, by Sarah..."
canonical_url: https://idratherbewriting.com/2016/04/03/write-the-docs-lightning-talks-san-francisco-2016/index.html
---

> For AI agents: a documentation index is available at https://idratherbewriting.com/llms.txt. Markdown versions of all pages are available by appending .md to any page URL.

# Lightning talks from San Francisco Write the Docs meetup

> At the last Write the Docs meetup in San Francisco on March 29, we had 11 presenters give lightning talks. This post includes the recordings (audio + slides) of each presenter. There's also a compiled audio file in case you just want to listen to the audio. Lightning talks are a fun format that allows a lot of different members to present their own perspective and learning.

Below are the lightning talks from the March 29 [Write the Docs San Francisco Meetup](http://www.meetup.com/Write-the-Docs/events/228358497/). You can also play the videos from the [San Francisco WTD Youtube channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAf1Yf22POwZaBWFIGVHNpA) at this [playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNKYtCgtBp2jIrXdnGrf48pMEqiU3aB6D).

## Writing globally for locals, by Laura Stewart

[Video: Video](https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ov3pUWXS7Yk?list=PLNKYtCgtBp2jIrXdnGrf48pMEqiU3aB6D)

[—> view the slides](https://www.slideshare.net/secret/HwNusytFaCh4x)

## Contributing to open-source projects through documentation, by Rhonda Glennon

[Video: Video](https://www.youtube.com/embed/fvvKz1h6XqE?list=PLNKYtCgtBp2jIrXdnGrf48pMEqiU3aB6D)

[—> view the slides](https://www.slideshare.net/secret/FgLPf6VdoJnJjF)

## Writing effective app copy, by Sarah Day

[Video: Video](https://www.youtube.com/embed/HIOcmTnx9sY?list=PLNKYtCgtBp2jIrXdnGrf48pMEqiU3aB6D)

[—> view the slides](https://www.slideshare.net/secret/y5dA0Ajq4WMESR)

## The easiest way to create professional-looking illustrations and diagrams, by Tom Johnson

[Video: Video](https://www.youtube.com/embed/Thpq3kryvhQ?list=PLNKYtCgtBp2jIrXdnGrf48pMEqiU3aB6D)

[—> view the slides](https://idratherbewriting.com/files/professionalgraphics) and [detailed notes](https://idratherbewriting.com/2016/05/05/visualcommunication_noun_project/)

## “Storycraft in SDK documentation” or “A Writer’s Theory of Everything”, by Elisa Sawyer

[Video: Video](https://www.youtube.com/embed/mAzR0GVP-Ag?list=PLNKYtCgtBp2jIrXdnGrf48pMEqiU3aB6D)

[—> view the slides](http://www.slideshare.net/ElisaSawyer/a-writers-theory-of-everything)

## Using Twine as interactive documentation, by Al Nelson

[Video: Video](https://www.youtube.com/embed/ibk8uQsq0yM?list=PLNKYtCgtBp2jIrXdnGrf48pMEqiU3aB6D)

[—> view the slides](https://www.slideshare.net/secret/GaCriV8Xit0gsN)

## Open source documentation in practice (Kubernetes case study), by John Mulhausen

[Video: Video](https://www.youtube.com/embed/7HN_M-DmMdo?list=PLNKYtCgtBp2jIrXdnGrf48pMEqiU3aB6D)

[—> view the slides](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1uA9xhqlHUcKYTZ6hJ8QbuvhiMOsS8uVr-qESnTYj5yA/edit#slide=id.p4)

## MediaWiki as a Documentation Platform, by Juan Lara

[Video: Video](https://www.youtube.com/embed/5nk4fHY74_Y?list=PLNKYtCgtBp2jIrXdnGrf48pMEqiU3aB6D)

[—> view the slides](http://www.slideshare.net/JuanLara52/mediawiki-as-a-documentation-platform)

## Localization Readiness 101: Glossary, by William Clemens

[Video: Video](https://www.youtube.com/embed/2vHy5ruBqRk?list=PLNKYtCgtBp2jIrXdnGrf48pMEqiU3aB6D)

[—> view the slides](http://www.slideshare.net/secret/bY6jjnYGf4H9R8)

## A Tribe Called Tech (Writers), by Mary Swift

[Video: Video](https://www.youtube.com/embed/E1Mz57aMDzc?list=PLNKYtCgtBp2jIrXdnGrf48pMEqiU3aB6D)

[—> view the slides](https://www.slideshare.net/secret/gq1f6x3g9PjMMI)

## Comment on the Draft Federal Source Code Policy, by Britta Gustafson

[Video: Video](https://www.youtube.com/embed/hAkQ2b5XOmo?list=PLNKYtCgtBp2jIrXdnGrf48pMEqiU3aB6D)

[—> view the slides](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1a4vBgxYDrR7X14phxwRx4NsIcIlLySb6Xh1C8pfDAeg/mobilepresent?slide=id.g10ee21bdb5_0_25)

## Downloadable Audio File

If you just want the audio, compiled into one long file, you can listen here:

[Audio](https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3?https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/idbwmedia.com/podcasts/lightningtalkssanfranciscoaudioonly.mp3)

You can [download the MP3 file here](https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3?https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/idbwmedia.com/podcasts/lightningtalkssanfranciscoaudioonly.mp3).

If you organize meetings for writing groups, I highly recommend trying out this lightning talk format. It’s a great change of pace, fun to see new faces, and generates a lively momentum and energy to the meeting.