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:Author vs. write From:geoff-h -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA Date:Thu, 29 May 1997 12:20:27 -0500
Mary Howe wondered about the distinction between authoring
and writing. Mary, strictly speaking there _is_ no
difference (both are the act of communicating with words as
an important part of the communication), but a shade of
meaning has evolved over the past few years: writing
concerns primarily words, and usually for print media;
authoring adds various media (e.g., animation, hypertext)
to writing, so that words aren't the only form of
communication, and usually refers to an online document
rather than a printed document. The two words are used so
sloppily, though, that you'll find all kinds of different
variations in meaning.
--Geoff Hart @8^{)} geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
Disclaimer: Speaking for myself, not FERIC.
TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send commands
to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/ or search and
browse the archives at http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html