Defining
technical/professional writing is not an easy task, as demonstrated by the
countless arguments that have resulted in several definitions. From narrow to
broad, there is no single term that can pin down what exactly technical/professional writing can mean. Davin Dobrin
defines technical writing as “writing that accommodates technology to the user,”
but fails to note that not all technical writing requires technology—if
it did, we would not have countless historical documents that existed long
before modern technology. He also states that “technical writing is writing
about a subject in the pure sciences or the applied science in which the writer
informs the reader through an objective presentation of facts.” However,
because my internship deals strictly with the publication of fiction works, it
is difficult to apply that definition to it as well. In fact, I believe that
while technical/professional writing does include some part of those
definitions, it also limits the definition. Rather, I feel that a quote by Carolyn
Miller in What’s Practical About
Technical Writing provides the field with a definition that provides it the
flexibility that it needs. She says, “Technical writing, the rhetoric of the
world of work.” I believe this works the best because every profession needs
the ability to communicate concisely, objectively, and professionally—a
skill necessary to every profession.
Because
technical/professional writers possess a myriad of skills, they are invaluable
in the workplace. From manual writing, to copyediting, to grant writing,
technical/professional writers can adjust to nearly any work demands and
produce results that the business needs. My internship with The Writers’ Slate can serve as an
example of this. As assistant editor, I play many roles in the publication of
each edition. First and foremost, I work with Professor Franklin on the fall
and winter editions to choose works for publication. In this role, I act almost
like a publisher to choose works that are best suited for our journal. After
this, I shift toward a more secretarial role; I draft acceptance and
conditional acceptance letters to send out to students whose work we have
chosen. The step where my technical skills come more into play is the actual
crafting of the journal. In order to craft it, I have to format, edit, and
compile all the documents from students into the page layout software InDesign.
While this is a typical skill for professional writers to possess, it is one of
the least-involved parts of the internship and perhaps the easiest, because I
only work with the technology at that point—there is no need to interact with
students in order to ensure all the work is there.
My
overarching point is that it is important not to discount a humanities degree
because all of these roles come together and function because of my experience
in the humanities department. Most importantly, having this degree in the
English department is important because I have to maintain an understanding of
the English language—from grammar to punctuation rules—in order to effectively
do my job. I also am familiar with research as an English major and have been
able to research more effective tactics for implementing technology into the
journal. Although other disciplines might be familiar with research as well, it
provides professional writers a distinct advantage when coupled with an
intimate knowledge of the language. Most importantly, being in the humanities
department has been extremely advantageous for me as a Writers’ Slate intern because I have been able to more effectively
choose good submissions from students, which has afforded me the opportunity to
discuss and debate with Professor Franklin. Without this, I would not have been
able to learn as much as I have from the internship.
Dobrin, David "What's Practical About Technical
Writing?"
Miller, Carolyn R. “What's Practical About Technical
Writing?"
