Definition of Tech Writer, was STC is broken

[Beth Agnew]

It's not the Dangerfield plaint but the original core issue that our 
Society does so little in the way of raising public awareness about who 
we are and what we do, that it falls to each of us individually to 
establish our credibility and often our job description in whatever 
organization or situation in which we're employed. I've never had a 
problem doing so, but there are techwriters who are not as gregarious, 
politic or downright bold as might be needed to do that. A good number 
of us have gone into organizations where we were the first ever 
techwriter hired, and our managers had no idea of our capabilities -- 
until we demonstrated them.

As David Hailey said, the profession is changing. There are new titles, 
new job functions, new tools and media, and new opportunities. We can 
hang onto the industrial age concept of technical writer and be 
satisfied with that, or embrace the information age view that there's 
always been more to us than writing and we are still evolving.

This is not a one/zero situation. No one is being forced to choose. 
There's a constellation of options and opportunities enough to suit all 
of us. We just want the STC to start leading instead of playing catchup.
--Beth

Bill Swallow wrote:

>Really? The title is that magical?
>
>I have to say something here, because this is going back to the age
>old Dangerfield thread ("I can't get no respect")...
>
>