Re: Conceit, etc.: it's not the inexperienced writers you should worr y about.

[Tom Campbell <tomcampbell -at- EUDORAMAIL -dot- COM>]

Faith,
You said:
>...The real threat is *not* inexperienced people who want to be tech
>writers for whatever reason. The real threat is the doofus managers who
>will hire them because they are cheaper than their more experienced
>counterparts, without regard to any difference in competence....

Actually, in my experience, an even bigger threat are the unscrupulous technical service agencies who pitch inexperienced tech writers to unsuspecting clients as though they were crack specialists, charging the clients 3 times as much as the agency is paying the greenhorns.  The client pays for the services of an experienced pro, gets somebody who can't do the job, and the agency collects Large Dollars for the few months or weeks the writer is on staff.  In the process, the aspiring tech writer may get in over his or her head and have a shattering work experience, and the client may get the impression that "anybody can be a tech writer," because that's just who they got!

Now, to balance this, let me say that I see nothing wrong with agencies *hiring* enthusiastic, bright greenhorns, as long as they don't exaggerate their skills & experience and overcharge the clients.
---
Tom Campbell
tomcampbell -at- EUDORAMAIL -dot- COM
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 "It's as large as life
  and twice as natural!"
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