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Before this thread goes do far off the rails to be considered TechWr-L
CHAT, I do have a question that I'd like to discuss:
Are Technical Writers valid anymore? Before you get out your flamethrowers,
hear me out:
How many of you still research and write all your own document content?
How much of your work involves rewriting material supplied to you by
developers (hardware and/or software)?
How much of your work involves setting up your own user simulations and
documenting the best case scenarios on behalf of your users?
How much of your time is spent messing with the tools and processes to
design a better, more efficient process?
I ask this because I have never been a core technical writer. I'm a
programmer who knows how to write English. Sadly, where I would really
enjoy building and implementing documentation systems that make it easier
for developers to supply core content and writers to fix the content so
that it's useable, there isn't much of that type of work around, except as
a short term external contractor.
I honestly see a need for this type of role in most companies, but can't
seem to meet the people who recognize that as a need.
So what thoughts have you on my interpretation of the writing "ghost town"
being made up of fewer writers and more systems specialists?
-Tony
On Wednesday, February 12, 2014, McLauchlan, Kevin <
Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -dot- com> wrote:
> Do I have to ask another really dumb question, to stir up some life in
> here?
>
>
>
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