What to call us?

Subject: What to call us?
From: geoff-h -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA
Date: Mon, 2 Jun 1997 12:47:23 -0500

John Wilcox noted, in response to a question about what to
call our profession, <<I like to do it all, and I have for
all the years since, so [technical writer] is, for me, a
limiting term.>>

Agreed. STC's solution, though not particularly euphonious,
works just fine for me: Technical Communicator. I
communicate about technical subject matter, using whatever
tools are useful... writing, drawing, speaking,
visualizing... you name it. Of course, I've also been known
to go by the title of "professional idiot"* at times...

--Geoff Hart @8^{)} geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
Disclaimer: Speaking for myself, not FERIC.

* I use this as a great conversation opener. "So... what do
you do for a living?" "Me? I'm a professional idiot." "Beg
pardon?" "You see, I'm paid--that's the professional
part--to misunderstand absolutely anything. Then I fix it
before your audience trips over the problem." About then,
the light turns on. I don't think I'd ever have the guts to
put this on a business card, but it's a nice way to wake
someone up at a party.

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