[Author Prev][Author Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]
[Author Index (this month)][Thread Index (this month)][Top of Archive]

Re: What Are Writing Skills?

Subject: Re: What Are Writing Skills?
From: Chuck Martin <cm -at- writeforyou -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 08 Mar 2005 17:01:40 -0800


Jerry Muelver wrote:


I can make an engineer into a writer a lot easier than I can make a writer into an engineer. Communication is the eliciting of a response -- effective communication is the eliciting of a desired response. Engineers understand and respect the difference, and will gladly work to a spec that says, "Get thus-and-so behavior out of the reader," whereas a capital-W Writer will more often work for personal warm fuzzies and leave the consequences of readers' behavior up to the readers themselves.


I could not disagree more with this premise. Good writing--good communication--is not a skill that is either easily taught or easily learned.

But what offends me the most is the assumptions that "a capital-W Writer will most often work for warm fuzzies." The goal of good writing, of good technical writing, is to help readers reach their goals. Or on an even higher and more important level, to ensure reader (read: user) happiness. Good (technical) writers are proud of work that accomplishes this goal, but have no ego that stands in the way of others' contributions and input to help reach that goal.


--
--
Chuck Martin
User Assistance & Experience Engineer
twriter "at" sonic "dot" net www.writeforyou.com

"I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me.
The day may come when the courage of Men fail, when we forsake our
friends and break all bonds of fellowship. But it is not this day!
This day, we fight!"
- Aragorn

"All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given you."
- Gandalf

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

WEBWORKS FINALDRAFT - EDIT AND REVIEW, REDEFINED
Accelerate the document lifecycle with full online discussions and unique feedback-management capabilities. Unlimited, efficient reviews for Word
and FrameMaker authors. Live, online demo:
http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l

Doc-To-Help 7.5 Professional: New version with new features, improved performance and reliability, plus much more! Download your free trial today at www.componentone.com/techwrlfeb.

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archiver -at- techwr-l -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Send administrative questions to lisa -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.


Previous by Author: Re: Technical Writing in China
Next by Author: RE: Configurable On-Line Documentaton: Tools and Technologies
Previous by Thread: What Are Writing Skills?
Next by Thread: Re: What Are Writing Skills?

[Top of Archive] | [Author Index (this month)] | [Thread Index (this month)]

What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:

Sponsored Ads