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: Append From:"Chuck Petch, Editor" <PETCH -at- GVG47 -dot- GVG -dot- TEK -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 29 Nov 1993 11:10:01 -0700
Karen Merrell wrote:
"...So speaking from both sides, the degree doesn't affirm writing
ability (school can't really teach you how to write)...
It's a minor point, but I have to disagree with this statement. I had two
excellent professors for advanced writing classes, who taught me some
incredibly powerful writing techniques that I would not be using now if they
had not taught them to me.
Maybe a certain innate writing ability is prerequisite to learning how to write
better, but assuming that innate ability is present, writing most certainly can
be taught. In fact, I think it's a shame that so many technical writers assume
native writing ability is all you need. Really good or even great writing
arises less from native ability than from the disciplined study and application
of writing techniques--techniques that may be learned elsewhere but which
definitely can be learned at school.
