Re: Technical Writers vs. Technical Communicators

Subject: Re: Technical Writers vs. Technical Communicators
From: Joan Miles <miles -at- CCD -dot- HARRIS -dot- COM>
Date: Tue, 1 Jun 1993 07:56:20 EDT

I don't what to say about the synonym for "Technical Communicator,"
but when I told someone that I was a TECH WRITER, they misheard
me, and thought I said CHECK WRITER. They then went on to ask if
I could writer them out a few checks of their own! I finally
figured out what they were talking about, and now I use
the whole two words, longs as they may be, to keep people
from getting confused. :-)

Joan
Technical Writer



>
> Well, the e-mail Subject lines keep saying "Re: Technical Writers vs.
> Technical Communicators," but the discussion so far is dancing around
> structured documentation. As for whether TWs are different than TCs,
> I'd say that TW is simply a subset of TC. IMHO, if you're a trainer,
> educator, or tech illustrator, you rank as a TC but not necessarily
> a TW.

> Which leads me to a related item. It may fan a few flames and maybe
> get me branded as a "de-professionalizer," but...

> I'd like to find a short synonym for "Technical Communicator."

> > GASP! <

> When someone asks you what you do for a living, do you _really_ say,
> "I'm a Technical Communicator?" That's eight syllables, and there
> are a few pithy sayings about polysyllabic job titles - most of them
> having to do with an inverse relationship between length of the job
> title and importance of the job. Does the TC moniker seem ironic to
> you, since what we do involves conveying information articulately
> and CONCISELY?

> I _don't_ want to cross swords with TCs who like the eight-syllable
> term, but I sure would like to find a shorter, more CONCISE
> alternative. Haven't run across any yet. Anyone have one to offer?



> Cheers,
> | "No one can tell what lies just around |
> Ken d'Albenas | the corner; and the purpose of politics |
> (-:: | is to conceal that fact." |
> kendal -at- autotrol -dot- cuc -dot- ab -dot- ca | - Booster McCrane |


> *****************************


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