Re: Value of technical writers

[Tom <eagles -at- CONNECTION -dot- COM>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sella Rush

> Andrew was enticed by technology (I can
> relate to that) and so a *good* tech
> writer to him is a technology expert.

If you cannot COMMUNICATE ideas, all the technical
knowledge in the world is useless.

> Several people mentioned
> communication

DING DING DING! This IS the key.

> someone else has
> gravitated toward more of an editing
> position.

Editing isn't writing. Some companies that have
tech communications DEPARTMENTS have within that
department technical editors. However, they also
have technical writers, and the jobs are NOT the
same.

> Personally, I have
> always tended to think of my tech
> writing role as some kind of educator

Again, that (to me) is the key. Regardless of what
you are communicating in a technical document (as
Cam pointed out, it may be use, maintenance,
cataloging, or other ways of "dealing with the
product"), you still need to educate the reader.

> Once again we've demonstrated that tech
> writing is a pretty nebulous label,
> and even more than that, it is what
> each of us makes it.

IMHO, it's neither nebulous nor "what each of us
makes of it." Technical Writers are not Technical
Editors, although that duty may be added to our
jobs. Technical Communicators aren't necessarily
(only) writers or editors or graphic artists,
although they may (endeavour to) be all three.

That's why I like the term Technical Communicator
for those of us who do more than just write
(although I consider the 'writing part' the most
demanding part).

Persnickitily yours,

Tom Eagles,
Technical Communicator
eagles -at- connection -dot- com

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