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RE: Is technical writing a sellout or fallback career?
Subject:RE: Is technical writing a sellout or fallback career? From:Technical Writer <tekwrytr -at- hotmail -dot- com> To:"Leonard C. Porrello" <leonard -dot- porrello -at- soleratec -dot- com>, <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:27:08 -0400
I agree. Certifications--like degrees--are more a way to focus on key topic areas than anything else. A TW with an OCP certification applying for a gig at a financial organization is substantially more likely to get the position than an equally competent and experienced writer who lacks it.
The false dichotomy is between the writer and the SME; the assumption that knowledge or competency in one category precludes knowledge or competency in the other. It seems more reasonable to intentionally blur that distinction by acquiring skills and competencies in the areas documented. For example, the notion that IT people "have difficulties" communicating directly with business people, and vice versa.
tekwrytr
http://www.tekwrytrs.com/ - Contract business analysis and solutions development in Visual Basic .NET, ASP .NET, SQL Server, and XML. Specializing in cost-effective rapid application development (RAD), prototyping, and service-oriented architecture (SOA) IT solutions for SMBs.
Subject: RE: Is technical writing a sellout or fallback career?Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:58:36 -0700From: Leonard -dot- Porrello -at- SoleraTec -dot- comTo: tekwrytr -at- hotmail -dot- com; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
tekwrytr said, “‘Writing skills’ may be overrated; it is the comprehension of the reader or user that matters most, not the writing skill of the writer. Because comprehension is paramount, the ability to transfer knowledge takes precedent over almost every other consideration.”
This is a false dichotomy. One of the things I learned in one of my first rhetoric in writing classes (many years ago) is that the skill of the writer is defined only by his ability to communicate his message (tone, register, AND content) to his intended audience. In other words, there is no such thing as a “skilled writer” who can’t “transfer knowledge”. Conversely, anyone who excels at transferring knowledge in writing is, by definition, a skilled writer.
tekwrytr also said, “Certification strongly indicates competency in action, rather than just words.”
This too is a false dichotomy in some domains. In technical writing, the words are the action.
My point is that we don’t need to get stuck in either/or. Writing talent is good. Certification is good. Academic education is good. All three together are impressive. However, while a writer must be talented to be good at technical writing, you will find many good technical writers whose ability ultimately comes from neither certification nor academic education in either technology or English.
Leonard
________________________________________
From: Technical Writer [mailto:tekwrytr -at- hotmail -dot- com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 20, 2008 9:10 AM
To: Leonard C. Porrello; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: RE: Is technical writing a sellout or fallback career?
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