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.
>>Tony Markatos agonizes over whether contract Technical Writing is merely
>>rewriting of badly organized and written client documentation.
Tony, that was not my experience in 4.5 years of contract Technical Writing,
and I know of others for whom that was not their experience either. In
fact, I've had occasion to use contract writers here, where I've been a
permanent employee (sorry, Associate) for over two years, and that wasn't
how we used our contract writers either.
I have always been expected to write. Often I have also been expected to
conduct training classes, stand-up demonstrations, and rewrites of some
other people's work, too.
I have to admit that the one thing I have always dreaded is a position where
they expected only that I would, "Just clean it up and correct the grammar."
I can't imagine that I would last long in such a situation.
Tom Murrell
Senior Technical Writer
Alliance Data Systems, Inc.