Re: A Quandry about Titles...

[Alun Whittaker <alun -at- CORTE-MADERA -dot- GEOQUEST -dot- SLB -dot- COM>]

How about "Writer".

We don't write poems, screenplays, political manifestos or laundry
lists (during business hours -- if anyone's looking!). We write
books, manuals, newsletters, scripts and so on, all with
technical subject matter.

Our companies don't have technical accountants or technical
janitors. Why should we need technical writers?

Sometimes, we are involved in aspects of book production other
than writing. Other times, we write for media other than the
printed page. Nevertheless, the critical job skill involved
is the creation of word pictures -- writing.

A writer is not automatically a communicator any more than
a movie actor is a star! Our objective in writing is to
communicate and, if we are skillful and lucky, we might
manage to do so more than half the time with more than
half the audience. "Communicator" is an honored soubriquet
we hope to achieve and should not be devalued to become
a job title or grade.

ALUN W....
Senior Technical Writer
Hard Copy Non-fiction Division
Non-rhyming Group
N through Z Words Section

PS   I'm suggesting what should be not necessarily what is. In
     this company my job title is "Senior Technical Writer" and
     we do have an "Engineering Secretary".
        **

PPS  In fact we have only two writers both of whom have the
     title "Senior Technical Writer". Arthur supervises A
     through M words and I do the rest.