TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Who's the author? From:Ron Miller <RSMH -at- AOL -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 10 Feb 1995 09:22:03 -0500
>Is the author of a document the person who provides the technical content
>OR is it the person who edits the grammar and does all the formatting?
The person who does the writing is the writer.
At a newspaper, the reporter writes and someone edits the copy, but who gets
the by-line?
A book author writes the text, but it is edited at the publisher, whose name
goes on the cover?
The editor and/or layout person are production personnel. They help polish
and make a great contribution to any publications project, but they are in no
way the writer. I think the dinstinction is obvious and clear.
