Re: Writer vs Author (was Techwriting after the boom)

["Bonnie Granat" <bgranat -at- editors-writers -dot- info>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark L. Levinson" <mark_levinson -at- yahoo -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Sent: June 08, 2003 05:05 AM
Subject: Re: Writer vs Author (was Techwriting after the boom)


>
> Bonnie writes:
> > Technical writers are not technical authors.
>
> I thought that technical authors were the same
> as technical writers but in England.
>
> What's supposed to be the difference between
> a technical writer and a technical author?
> Are you considering that a technical writer
> is more like an editor?  (And if so, where
> does that leave the technical editor?)
>
>

All of the technical occupational descriptions provided by government, by
private industry, and by the educational establishment state *primarily* that
technical writers *explain* technology or scientific concepts to a lay
audience. There is no occupational designation for technical author. I believe
that that term is now used to distinguish between technical writers and SMEs
who write books and articles. That leaves technical editors (like me, when I
wear that hat) in the clear. ;)

I consider a technical writer to be a writer who has training in rhetoric,
critical thinking, and communications. In addition, the technical writer has
an *interest* in technology of all kinds and a joy in learning about
technology and science. Common sense tells me that a technical writer who
hasn't a clue how a chip is made is not going to prance down to Intel and
expect to be hired to write manufacturing procedures. Common sense tells me
that a technical writer with no understanding of relational databases is going
to apply for a job documenting databases.

As I've said before, in other posts, there are no doubt certain technical
writing jobs that require a depth of understanding that is quite high. And
yes, the more you know, the better. But technical expertise is simply not a
requirement. The ability to write coherently *is* -- and as I've said, I find
bad thinking and bad writing to be the primary cause of bad documentation.

___________________________________
Bonnie Granat
Granat Editorial Services
http://www.editors-writers.info






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