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Subject:Re: Tech writers doing creative writing From:"Michael A. Lewis" <lewism -at- BRANDLE -dot- COM -dot- AU> Date:Tue, 28 Oct 1997 09:12:23 +1100
David Castro wrote:
>
> There was a discussion a while back about technical writers doing
> creative writing, too. If you want to see some creative (and funny!)
> writing by a fellow technical writer, check out Mark Asher's 10/24 review
> of a new video game add-on (called Hellfire), at CNet's GameCenter web site ...
People who claim that tech writing isn't creative usually don't
understand either tech writing or creativity. Are Eric & Deborah's books
non-creative because they are technical, or non-technical because they
are creative?
I tell my tech writing students that creativity is, above all, about
problem solving. "Imaginative" writers create their own problems as well
as their solutions. Tech writers, informational writers, and, indeed,
anyone operating in the broad spectrum of business writing, have to
operate within externally-imposed constraints on content -- which often
requires exceptional creativity.
--
Michael Lewis
Brandle Pty Limited, Sydney, Australia
: PO Box 1249 : Suite 8, The Watertower :
: Strawberry Hills, NSW 2012 : 1 Marian St, Redfern 2016 :
: Tel +61-2-9310-2224 : Fax +61-2-9310-5056 :
