TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Re[2]: Productivity of Technical Writers From:Howard <howardg -at- SAVVY -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 14 Mar 1995 12:13:06 -0500
Basically, bosses in all workplaces do not have a clue as to what their
staff actually _does_. Complicate this ignorance by many folks' perception
that ANYONE can write ("afterall, I have a pen, a PC and a dictionary,
too"), and we have a double-whammy. My father thinks I have a TV-Dad job,
because so many "dads" on TV are writers -- and they do all day is solve
family problems and look stupid. What a rep to overcome!
>The reality of technical writing, which comes
> down, it seems to me, to at least 35% creating and maintaining
relationships
> with info providers/reviewers, 40% staring off into the distance--thinking
> about how I'm going to structure the information, and a mere 25% writing.
> Oh well...guess I need to do some FACE time!
The thing is . . . we SHOULDN'T have to! management should look at what
we produce and whether or not we meet deadlines -- not how BUSY we look!
There must be a way to deal with this . . . Anyone want to try the media?
*grin*