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Subject:Re: Not Wanted--Technical Writers From:Wayne Douglass <wayned -at- VERITY -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 16 Dec 1997 10:14:51 -0800
At 09:51 AM 12/16/97 -0800, Wendy Putman wrote:
> I'm finding it interesting how defensive everyone is getting ...
>if I were running a company, I'd *kill* for PR like this. And if the
>journalist who wrote up the piece took some liberties ... it's already
>in print.
What we have here is the usual journalistic scenario: Set up a straw man
(all tech writing sucks), lard in PR prose from someone who will "save the
day" by doing something "innovative" or "creative," and sprinkle with
copious detail for "authenticity." Basic Reporting 101 - taught in every
Journalism School in the land. It's simple, formulaic, and infinitely
repeatable - much like technical writing. And it's as accurate as it can be
before moving on to the next assignment.
--Wayne
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Wayne Douglass phone: 408-542-2139
Verity, Inc. FAX: 408-542-2040
894 Ross Road mailto:wayned -at- verity -dot- com
Sunnyvale, CA 94089 http://www.verity.com
"Connecting People With Information"
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