Re: You're not the only person who can write

Subject: Re: You're not the only person who can write
From: Goober Writer <gooberwriter -at- yahoo -dot- com>
To: Andrew Plato <gilliankitty -at- yahoo -dot- com>, TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2004 05:43:15 -0800 (PST)

> Are you the pants or the depends?

LOL! Excellent post, Andrew!

To take this a step further, a technical writer's job
shouldn't be "to write". If you're looking for a job
"to write", those days are long gone, my friend. Don't
"be a writer" and then turn around and blame India for
your (current or impending) unemployment. Writing is a
transferable skill and should be.

Why?

Writing is consumed by the time it takes to put
thought to text. Anyone with info can do it (maybe not
well, but in the end, if the content's in there the
doc's good to go).

My argument is this:

Technical writers have a better purpose, and should
live and work to their fullest potential. What value
do you add? Words? No. Grammar? No. Meaningful
content? Warmer. Usability? Warmer still. Better
product? Getting hotter. Better workflow? Ooh, you're
scorchin', baby! More communicatively efficient
engineering/corporate environment? Bingo!

Think of the time you spend going from SME to SME
getting the right info, only to find out that by the
time you get it, the functionality's changed.

Think of the time you spend fixing typos and crap that
come back from document reviews.

Think of the time you spend in meetings wondering when
the side-thread of the hour will end so you can wrap
up and get back to work.

All these can be fixed by a competent technical
writer!

How do I know? I've done it.

Of course, you need buy in and support, which is
something that any competent professional can muster.

So, like, what's a tech writer then if their job's not
to write?

Well, a tech writer's job is, still, in part, to
write.

But... is that where your skills end? Oh, and tool
knowledge... must have tool knowledge. Must know
Frame. Must be a single-source demon! GaaaaahhhH!!!

Friends, those talents can be and are outsourced. Why
pay someone in the US to do it when there are howler
monkeys in the Brazillian jungle (note, I have no idea
if the Brazillian jungles contain howler monkeys... I
just thought the example amusing) that can do it for
bananas and dung beetles?

If you can work to make sure everyone is communicating
well and better your information and communication
workflow, you'll have a better stab at keeping your
job, possibly getting promoted, and being involved (by
being asked) in more interesting and rewarding
projects than "product X needs documentation".

=====
Goober Writer
(because life is too short to be inept)

"As soon as you hear the phrase "studies show",
immediately put a hand on your wallet and cover your groin."
-- Geoff Hart

We can't all be as creative with sigs as krautgrrl. ;-)

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Follow-Ups:

References:
You're not the only person who can write: From: Andrew Plato

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