Re: Damnit Jim, I'm a Writer, not a Programmer II: The Wrath of K ahn

[Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com>]

Tothscribe -at- aol -dot- com wrote:
> 
> >Now, speaking from [what would appear to be]
> >the opposite camp:
> 
> I admit it - I'm a "classic writer."  I won't refuse to look at code, but I'll make it very clear up front that I'm not a programmer, that I don't really have what it takes to be a good programmer (I know, I've tried), and that if you want a programming tech writer, I'm not your scribe.
> 
> There's no shame in admitting what you're good at and avoiding what you're not good at, particularly in a field as incredibly broad as technical writing.

No, but there's even less shame - and more integrity and challenge - in
identifying what you're not good at and struggling to achieve some
competence in it. I know very well that I'll never be a professional
typographer, but I've learned enough to appreciate what a professional
does, and to produce competent (although not outstanding) design work. I
doubt, too, that I'll ever know my way around any widget set to be a
fully-fledged interface designer, but, again, I've taught myself enough
that I can do simple work and appreciate what the experts do. One day
soon, I hope to be able to say the same for programming, even though I
don't expect to do much beyond the occasional script. I may never
achieve the level of knowledge in all these areas that I would like, but
I believe that working towards expertise makes me a far better person
than passively accepting my limitations.

I don't doubt that I could find employment without these skills. But
working on my weak points makes the job more interesting. I'm not
interested in simply collecting a pay cheque unless I'm desperate; work
occupies a third of my adult life, so I want it to be meaningful to me.
I find considerable interest in learning new material to document, but
learning new skills provides even greater interest for me.

It also increases the jobs that I'm eligible for, including some of the
higher paying jobs. Another poster on this thread complained that
programmers were paid more - well, the way to receive the same pay is to
have the same expertise. And, if you work as a contractor, or if you're
the only writer in a small company, you are far more likely to get work
if you are more than just a writer and can offer the company other
skills as well. 

Professionally, I love to hear tech-writers insist that they're just
writers. It lessens the competition for me. But, on a personal level, I
feel a little sad for them. So far as I'm concerned, they're settling
for far less than they can be.

-- 
Bruce Byfield 604.421.7177 bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com

"I breathe too heavy and I blow too hard
And I stay when I should run
But I won't settle for anything less
'Till I've seen what your love has done."
-The Mollys, "Look What Your Love Has Done"

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