RE: The bottom line on professionalism in TW

["Wollenberger, David" <David -dot- Wollenberger -at- sterling -dot- com>]

Nice post.  Also, don't we all know how to tell our email programs to
automatically spell-check, so at least the typos can be corrected.

David




-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Eagles [mailto:dox -at- tekwriter -dot- com]
Sent: Saturday, April 08, 2000 5:48 PM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: The bottom line on professionalism in TW


Just as engineers, medical doctors, and even software developers <G> are
considered professionals, so do we want to be considered. The author of this
e-mail is concerned about giving our critics the ammuninition they need to
continue to portray us as glorified secretaries. Furthermore, this debate
about grammar and spelling really goes beyond the petty one-upsmanship that
Eric implied the grammar-correctors are guilty of, and should ask us all:
"are we professionals or not?" I hope this isn't misread as arrogant,
pompous, or presumptuous, but if WE don't take our profession seriously, who
else will?

A carelessly written message that causes your readers to pause on or re-read
stilted, mistake-laden passages, effectively says that your time is more
important than your readers' time. Otherwise, as some will undoubtedly point
out, the reader can (should?) simply click on the 'Delete' key.

But, saying, "use the 'Delete' key" (itself a wholly selfish attitude)
ignores the fact that the digest version of lists such as TECHWR-L do not
display the author's name in the list of messages; only the topic is listed
(particularly, in the mime version).

Taking time to give thought to a topic (such as this one), and then
hammering out a mistake-laden response - not because you can't spell or
type, but because you can't be bothered - shows selfishness and contempt for
your readers.

Arlen Walker wrote:
> If we had the time to carefully proof our messages for the nuances of
> grammar and the odd typo, we'd not be getting much of anything else done,
> now, would we?
> Speaking only for myself on this issue: If you're paying me, you have a
> right to expect my writing to be clear, concise, clean and
> correct. If not, you'll settle for what I have the time to give you.
Period.

If you can't "take the time" to care about what you write, or those to whom
you write, why take the time to write at all? Backspacing to correct a few
typos, or pressing a few keys to engage a spell-checker isn't that much to
ask, is it? Don't you notice (at least some of) your mistakes as you make
them? If the e-mail is worth sending, it's worth taking a few extra moments
to show that you care about your readers.

Dadgummit, aren't you a WRITER? Don't you want to be thought of as a
professional? Yes, if you are a tech writer, your grammar and spelling (or
typing) should at least be VERY good, but need not be perfect. And that's
the bottom line.

Tom.



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