Re: Technical Writers vs. Technical Communicators

[Joan Miles <miles -at- CCD -dot- HARRIS -dot- COM>]

        I don't what to say about the synonym for "Technical Communicator,"
        but when I told someone that I was a TECH WRITER, they misheard
        me, and thought I said CHECK WRITER. They then went on to ask if
        I could writer them out a few checks of their own! I finally
        figured out what they were talking about, and now I use
        the whole two words, longs as they may be, to keep people
        from getting confused. :-)

        Joan
        Technical Writer



        >
>    Well, the e-mail Subject lines keep saying "Re: Technical Writers vs.
>    Technical Communicators," but the discussion so far is dancing around
>    structured documentation.  As for whether TWs are different than TCs,
>    I'd say that TW is simply a subset of TC.  IMHO, if you're a trainer,
>    educator, or tech illustrator, you rank as a TC but not necessarily
>    a TW.

>    Which leads me to a related item.  It may fan a few flames and maybe
>    get me branded as a "de-professionalizer," but...

>    I'd like to find a short synonym for "Technical Communicator."

>    > GASP! <

>    When someone asks you what you do for a living, do you _really_ say,
>    "I'm a Technical Communicator?"  That's eight syllables, and there
>    are a few pithy sayings about polysyllabic job titles - most of them
>    having to do with an inverse relationship between length of the job
>    title and importance of the job.  Does the TC moniker seem ironic to
>    you, since what we do involves conveying information articulately
>    and CONCISELY?

>    I _don't_ want to cross swords with TCs who like the eight-syllable
>    term, but I sure would like to find a shorter, more CONCISE
>    alternative.  Haven't run across any yet.  Anyone have one to offer?



> Cheers,
>                                 |  "No one can tell what lies just around   |
> Ken d'Albenas                   |  the corner; and the purpose of politics  |
> (-::                            |  is to conceal that fact."                |
> kendal -at- autotrol -dot- cuc -dot- ab -dot- ca       |  - Booster McCrane                        |


> *****************************