RE: A dark take on Tech Writing...do you agree?

[Kevin McGowan <thatguy_80 -at- hotmail -dot- com>]

There are certainly days where I agree with that article. I've been doing this since 1995, and I've seen the good, bad, and ugly of doc writers, doc management, etc.
 
I like the distinction being made between "tech writers" and "good technical writers." It's a commentary I always make in job interviews that just about anyone can write a sentence...but it takes a seasoned doc person to understand an entire product line, its customers and its users. I always say that I'm a "user advocate", which means that I will force my way into design meetings to make sure that the average user of Product X will be happy with how it works. Sometimes, as I also say in my interviews, that makes me unpopular.
 
ONe big part of the job is explaining complicated things to users. But the other big part is explaining the users to the designers, so maybe it won't be so bloody complicated. By doing that, you become a respected member of the design team, and if you're lucky, your payscale will improve as a result. 
 
K> Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2008 09:46:54 -0700> From: straylightsghost -at- gmail -dot- com> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Subject: A dark take on Tech Writing...do you agree?> > http://cli.gs/76aTnG> > The opinion of one Tech Writer and their advice to aspiring TW's. Do you> agree with this dark take on our career?> > > -Collin Turner> Tech Writer, Screencaster, Writer> www.collinturner.com> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> > ComponentOne Doc-To-Help 2009 is your all-in-one authoring and publishing > solution. Author in Doc-To-Help's XML-based editor, Microsoft Word or > HTML and publish to the Web, Help systems or printed manuals. > http://www.doctohelp.com> > Help & Manual 5: The complete help authoring tool for individual> authors and teams. Professional power, intuitive interface. Write> once, publish to 8 formats. Multi-user authoring and version control! http://www.helpandmanual.com/> > ---> You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as thatguy_80 -at- hotmail -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/thatguy_80%40hotmail.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. > > Please move off-topic discussions to the Chat list, at:> http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/listinfo/techwr-l-chat> 
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ComponentOne Doc-To-Help 2009 is your all-in-one authoring and publishing 
solution. Author in Doc-To-Help's XML-based editor,  Microsoft Word or 
HTML and publish to the Web, Help systems or printed manuals. 
http://www.doctohelp.com

Help & Manual 5: The complete help authoring tool for individual
authors and teams. Professional power, intuitive interface. Write
once, publish to 8 formats. Multi-user authoring and version control! http://www.helpandmanual.com/

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