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Subject:Tech writing, publicity in US From:Richard Lippincott <rlippinc -at- BEV -dot- ETN -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 7 Sep 1994 10:07:49 EDT
Faith Weber said:
>hell, when I tell people what I do, they're like "oh," like I have some
>sort of disease or what I do sounds REALLY boring.
I get mixed reactions, most people don't understand what technical writers
do. If it's someone I've just met, I'll say something generic and polite like
"I write the manuals that technicians use to operate the machine, and the
manuals the maintenance people use to overhaul the machine." That seems to
impress them. Or, confuse them enough that they stop asking questions.
I've been lucky, though, I've worked on some exotic equipment over the past
ten years. It's usually good for some raised eyebrows when I say "Well, I
worked on tech manuals for the F-117A Stealth Fighter for four years, and now
I'm working with devices that generate ion plasma beams in the range of one
million volts."
Hardware tech writing has -some- advantages, I guess. <g>
Rick Lippincott
I can send, but not receive at work. Address personal replies to:
rjlippincott -at- delphi -dot- com