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Subject:Re: Famous Technical Writers - A Compilation From:"Mark Baker" <mbaker -at- omnimark -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 16 Nov 1999 16:37:11 -0500
Josee Mariann Proulx writes
>Are we talking about scientific writers or technical writers?
>
>Do you make a difference or not?
Scientific writing: why stuff works
Technical writing: how to make stuff work / how to do stuff
In regard to this discussion in general:
The term "technical writer" is a job classification in industry, but what we
do is neither more nor less than write how-to books.
The advent of the term "technical writer" only reflects the point at which
industry felt the need for a job classification for how-to writers. It
represents no watershed in the craft of how-to writing.
Many people are famous for writing how-to books (TV shows, web sites, etc.).
Some people who once held the title "technical writer" subsequently became
famous for other things.
No one is famous for holding the job title "technical writer".