Re: techwriting style vs press release

Subject: Re: techwriting style vs press release
From: "Peter Neilson" <neilson -at- windstream -dot- net>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2012 09:45:11 -0400

On Tue, 25 Sep 2012 09:29:50 -0400, Bowes, Rebecca <Rebecca-Bowes -at- idexx -dot- com> wrote:

[RB] Responding to R Lippincott's comment about the value of journalism training... I experienced similar value from writing advertising. After so-so grades for a couple of years in college, I dropped out and worked for a radio station writing ads. Every advertiser tried to cram volumes into a 30-second spot. But 30 seconds can accommodate only about 80 words. So... I was forced to determine the most important content, organize clearly, and cut ruthlessly. I went back to school and, without really thinking about it, applied the same processes to term papers. Much better! Now the same principles apply to tech writing. Since then, I've always thought that first-year English classes should just have students write ads for one semester.

I've seen this happen also. I think that students should avoid English classes that first semester and take Journalism 101 instead. But it'll never happen. Too many poets running the English Department in every college. "Don't stifle creativity. Our Department might discover the next Plath or Stein."

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RE: techwriting style vs press release: From: Bowes, Rebecca

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