Re: Definition of Tech Writer, was STC is broken

Subject: Re: Definition of Tech Writer, was STC is broken
From: "Gene Kim-Eng" <techwr -at- genek -dot- com>
To: <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:38:42 -0700

>From where I sit as someone who frequently has to justify the
budgets to hire people, corporate management looks for
"writers" because the vast majority of documentation consists
of words, and the small component that does not is looked
upon as something that substitutes for words, or serves as
a different mean of delivering words. There is a reason why
the people who create movie scripts, music, radio ads, etc.,
are called "writers" even though they often create things that
their intended audience never reads. The "core competency"
is the ability to deliver information using fewer words and
smoother words than the engineers and techs can, in less
time and for less cost than it would take for them to make
the engineers do it. You can all go ahead and pick some
other title to put up at the tops of your resumes if you want,
but there still better be "technical writer/writing" somewhere
in the body, or you can look forward to finding yourselves
being passed over by all the keyword searches, and spending
half the time you devote to selling yourselves to explaining
how whatever title you're calling yourself still means "technical
writer.".

Gene Kim-Eng


----- Original Message -----
From: "Beth Agnew" <beth -dot- agnew -at- senecac -dot- on -dot- ca>
>I think the terminology does need to evolve in that direction. Employers
> look for writers or even technical writers because that's traditionally
> been the title of people who have performed those functions. It worked
> in the 20th century but is insufficient for 21st century information age
> needs. The lines are indeed blurry, but I think there are some core
> competencies that we could identify as being the hallmarks of that
> creature the Technical Communicator that other types of writers or
> communicators or technical people do not possess. If we could agree on
> those, she says idealistically, perhaps we'd have an easier time on the
> advocacy and PR side of things.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-

To unsubscribe send a blank email to
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.


Follow-Ups:

References:
Definition of Tech Writer, was STC is broken: From: Nancy Allison
Re: Definition of Tech Writer, was STC is broken: From: John Hedtke
Re: Definition of Tech Writer, was STC is broken: From: Beth Agnew

Previous by Author: Re: STC is broken
Next by Author: Re: Definition of Tech Writer, was STC is broken
Previous by Thread: Re: Definition of Tech Writer, was STC is broken
Next by Thread: Re: Definition of Tech Writer, was STC is broken


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads