Re: "Newbie" - ALL PLEASE READ!

["Mutton, Sara" <s -dot- mutton -at- TECHSMITH -dot- COM>]

I am a relative newbie to the list and have found that Jane's comments
are quite relevant to what I'm seeing.  I also studied and taught technical
writing -- and my personal conclusion is that a good technical writer
has good technical skills, an eye for design and a great sense of
humour.

In my time as a teacher, I also found that advice and clear direction
was often more useful than constant correction.  Take my comments for
what you will.  I have had this lesson repeated in my new position
as a full-time tech writer at software company:  my older and wiser
partner in the writing department has often shown me that
didactism offers little to atmosphere of open dialogue.

My 2 cents.  Please don't shoot me either.

Sara
 ----------
From: Jane Bergen
To: Multiple recipients of list TEC
Subject: Re: "Newbie" - ALL PLEASE READ!
Date: Thursday, October 19, 1995 11:36AM

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Date:         Thu, 19 Oct 1995 09:18:50 +0000
Reply-To: Jane Bergen <janeb -at- ANSWERSOFT -dot- COM>
Sender: "Technical Writers List; for all Technical Communication issues"


      <TECHWR-L -at- VM1 -dot- ucc -dot- okstate -dot- edu>
Comments:     Authenticated sender is <janeb -at- [199 -dot- 183 -dot- 56 -dot- 3]>
From: Jane Bergen <janeb -at- ANSWERSOFT -dot- COM>
Organization: AnswerSoft, Inc.
Subject:      Re: "Newbie" - ALL PLEASE READ!
Comments: To: TECHWR-L -at- VM1 -dot- ucc -dot- okstate -dot- edu
Comments: cc: scho -at- IX -dot- NETCOM -dot- COM
To: Multiple recipients of list TECHWR-L <TECHWR-L -at- VM1 -dot- ucc -dot- okstate -dot- edu>

Sorry to echo this whole thing, but I think my answer might be
instructive to those who are constantly slamming other people's
replies (" Did you get any useful information from Jane's post? (To
me, it seemed designed to put you in your place as a "newbie.")"

My intent was certainly not to put anyone down for being a newbie. I
was a newbie once, too, and not so very long ago. Curiously Sue said
the same things I did: contact STC, take a tech writing course (I
never said anything about a degree!), and educate yourself about
technical writing. Perhaps she said it more eloquently?

At the risk of roasting myself in flames, I do, however, believe that
it takes much more than good grammar skills (which Sue turned into
"writing skills"....big difference, Sue!) to be a technical writer.
When I studied and taught technical writing, one of our biggest
debates was on how general writing skills translates to technical
writing skills. The jury is still out on that one. But I think that
most professional technical writers would agree that technical
writing requires far more than simply good writing skills.

Lately I've noticed that a great many people on this list are so
quick to jump down another person's throat at the slightest thing.
What gives? This list is not an elite members-only club. It's open to
the public. It USED TO BE a wonderful resource for both seasoned and
beginning writers but lately  it's really turned ugly. Maybe we need to do a
little reflection on what we're all about. Let's READ the posts
before we jump to the Reply button. Don't change the words of the
orignal poster (i.e, "grammar" to "writing" skills, and "education"
to a "degree"). And don't try to second-guess anyone's intention.

> Mary Daly Solman writes:
> >
> > I'm a Denverite who hopes to find a niche as an independent tech
> > writer/editor.  I would prefer to work part-time from an office
> > (or offices) and part-time from my home using Microsoft software
> > (I own Office and Visual Basic products).
> >
> > I would also be interested in a junior-senior tech writer
> > partnership so that I might "learn the ropes."
> >
> > Is there a market for these sorts of things?  If so, how does one
> > enter it?
> >  What types of assignments might I expect?
> >
> > Thank you in advance for your ideas!  --MDS
> >

> In response, Jane Bergen wrote:

> >Mary, I think you need to look at SEVERAL factors before you can
> >answer your questions:
> >
> >* You use the word "newbie" so I assume that you have no tech
> >writing experience. What about education? Do you understand what
> >tech writing is all about? Many people assume that because their
> >grammar skills are good that they can "do technical writing"!
> >
> >* What industry interests you? It may be software, hardware,
> >multimedia, scientific, medical.....and on and on. What qualifies
> >you to write about any of these things? Are you proficient on PCs,
> >Macs? What do you know about desktop publishing?
> >
> >* Have you checked out the resources available to you, beginning
> >with the local chapter of the Society for Technical Communication?
> >They may have special interest committees such as Independent
> >Contractors and Consultants. They may also have a mentoring program
> >that matches new writers with more experienced writers.
> >
> >* What do you mean by "these sorts of things"?
> >
> >Good luck to you. You can learn from this list if you first just
> >READ the posts for a few weeks. The folks here are helpful and
> >knowledgeable, but also very no-nonsense. Most are busy
> >professionals who are happy to answer serious, thoughtful
> >questions.
> >
> >Jane Bergen


> Mary,

> Did you get any useful information from Jane's post? (To me, it
> seemed designed to put you in your place as a "newbie.")

> Let me take a crack at it. I'm an independent contractor. Here's
> some of the advice I got when I was first starting out:

> 1. Join the STC. Their phone number is  703 522 4114. I'm sure
> there's a local chapter in Denver. Go to the meetings, read the
> newsletters, get to know the writers in your area.

> 2.  Buy the Technical Writer's Freelancing Guide, by Peter Kent
> (1992, Sterling Publishing Company). It contains a great deal of
> information about gettting started as an independent. A kind soul
> from this list advised me to buy this book when I was getting
> started.

> 3.  Take a class in technical writing at your local university. I
> did this, and met many, many people who were extremely helpful and
> friendly. I also learned a lot.

> And, hey, if your writing skills are good you certainly can "do
> technical writing." How do you think most of us got started? Only a
> small minority have degrees in technical writing.

> Good luck!

> Sue S.
> scho -at- ix -dot- netcom -dot- com


Respectfully to the whole group,

............................................................................
 Jane Bergen
 Technical Writer
 janeb -at- answersoft -dot- com   or   janeb -at- iadfw -dot- net
    "The difference between the right word and the almost right word
     is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug" (Mark Twain)
............................................................................


Sara Jane Mutton
Technical Writer
Techsmith Corporation
3001 Coolidge Road, Suite 400
East Lansing, MI 48823 USA
s -dot- mutton -at- techsmith -dot- com
http://www.TechSmith.com/
Voicemail: (517) 333-2100x168
FAX       :  (517) 333-1888