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: What does a tech writer do? From:Dale Sullivan <dsulliva -at- MTU -dot- EDU> Date:Tue, 9 Sep 1997 01:25:00 -0400
I'm glad Debbie Molinaro posed the question, "what do you do?" I'm teaching an
introduction to scientific and technical communication at Michigan Tech this
term, and one of our goals is to define technical writing and to understand how
it shapes up practically. If you choose to respond to Debbie privately, I
would very much like you to copy your response to me <dsulliva -at- mtu -dot- edu>.
Several of my students will be lurking on this list, so posting your responses
to this list (if it seems appropriate) would reach them directly.
Dale Sullivan
Debbie Molinaro wrote:
> Hi folks!
>
> Over the Labor Day weekend, I had an interesting conversation with a
> youngster entering her freshman year of college as an English major.
> Apparently, her parents are concerned with what she can "do" with an
> English major. I suggested technical writing and she asked me what a tech
> writer does.
>
> I told her what I do/what I've done, with the disclaimer that this was only
> a small part of a big world, and that she should talk to other tech
> writers. Since she doesn't currently have e-mail (but is "pretty sure" her
> school "does that"), I told her I would poke around on techwr-l for her and
> forward the results when she got her address. <Details on long listserv
> conversation omitted.>
>
> So, what do you, as a tech writer, do?
>
> Reply to me or the list, as you deem appropriate. If there's enough of a
> demand and responses look "summarizable" I'll summarize to the list.
>
> Thanks,
> Debbie
>
> Debbie Molinaro
> debbiem -at- ucs -dot- net
>
> The Paper Trail
> Technical Documentation Services
>http://members.aol.com/papertr/
>
> TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
> to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send commands
> to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
> Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/ or search and
> browse the archives at http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html
TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send commands
to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/ or search and
browse the archives at http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html
