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.
Subject:Re: Are Tech Writers Valid anymore Re: ghost town From:Gene Kim-Eng <techwr -at- genek -dot- com> To:Chris Despopoulos <despopoulos_chriss -at- yahoo -dot- com> Date:Thu, 20 Feb 2014 08:45:52 -0800
I would "amen" to that, if I did the "amen" thing.
One type of tech writer we saw a lot of in the 90s has already gone
"invalid." Remember all those "non-technical tech writers" who used to
opine that not having product knowledge was a strength?
The next type in line will be the folks who spend their time writing books
that tell end users which buttons to push on things that can't be opened up
and repaired. They'll either evolve into designers of embedded
instructions (our COFFEEMAKER has lighted graphics that flash in sequence
to walk you through making a cup of joe!) or they'll be
posting lamentations about their former employers' lack of concern for
documentation.
And if you're writing service manuals for things that CAN be opened up and
repaired, prepare yourself for the next step in evolution by learning how
to document the installation, programming and servicing of robotic repair
devices. Seriously. They're coming, hot on the heels of manufacturing
robots.
Gene Kim-Eng
On Thu, Feb 20, 2014 at 2:30 AM, Chris Despopoulos <
despopoulos_chriss -at- yahoo -dot- com> wrote:
>
>
>
> [COMMENT]
> Tech writing is becoming a commodity because the field has changed
> significantly, but tech writers have not.
>
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Doc-To-Help: new website, content widgets, and an output that works on any screen.