RE: real tech writers? RE: Out-of-Work Tech Writers and Switching Car eers

["Maggie Secara" <maggiros -at- adelphia -dot- net>]

I took "real technical writer" to mean someone who is a writer by natural
affinity (technical or not, degreed or not) as opposed to someone who, in
Erika's example, just happens to be a native English speaker and thinks
that's the only requirement for the job, and can't think of anything else to
do.  I've known one or two of those, haven't you?  I don't know how anyone
could take offense at this unless they're feeling a little shakey about
their own qualifications.

On the other point, lots of good tech writers have fallen into this
profession, or slipped in sort of sideways. Especially some of us o/l/d/e/r/
more experienced ones.  When I was in school, there was no such thing as a
Technical Writing degree, and nearly every tech writer anywhere got into it
by accident.  (Not to mention that even a degree in something doesn't
necessarily make you good at it.)

I don't think anyone who gets paid for this job is doing it as a hobby! :)


Maggie Secara



> -----Original Message-----
> From: bounce-techwr-l-84814 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
>  I believe I know what you mean by a "Real" Tech Writer as opposed
> to a "temporary" or "sometime" Tech Writer. I have a degree in
> Professional Writing and I chose Tech Writing as a career. At
> work, I have a co-worker that was invited to apply for the Tech
> Writing job even though he had never done Tech Writing before. He
> got the job and is doing the same as me although I have been in
> the profession for 8 years. This shows that some companies
> (including the one I am in) don't really understand or care that
> much about the Technical Writing "career." They just want a body
> to do the boring stuff.
>
> But maybe the term "real Tech Writer" could probably be
> misinterpreted. Just because someone has chosen Tech Writing
> because it paid more or because it was offered, doesn't make them
> any less "real" than a Tech Writing Professional. Of course, I
> would prefer to work with someone who chose Tech Writing as their
> career than someone who does it as a hobby.
>
>
>
>



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