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 Updated: 5/21/2007 |
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The Documentation Process
It is usually true that until you actually do something, you don't know all that's involved in doing it. Some things obviously take a lot of knowledge or years of training — being a lawyer or a doctor, for example. We tend to value those things and are willing to pay a lot of money for those services.
Some things seem pretty simple — being a store clerk or cashier, say. With a minimum of training, most people can be taught to do those things. And while being a really good clerk is certainly nice for customers, it probably doesn't mean that employers are willing to pay a whole lot of money to have someone provide those services.
Somewhere in the middle (though in many people's minds maybe closer to the clerk than to the lawyer), are professions like writing or acting. We all do a little of both of those things (don't we?), so we tend to think, "How hard can it be?" or "I can do that!" Perhaps these types of work are not as valued as they should be, because in truth, many people just don't realize the depth of expertise required to do them well.
I'll leave others to discuss the profession of acting, but in this section, I try to explain a little (just a little!) of what I know about writing. I talk about the behind-the-scenes work that goes into the process of developing words that others read. I do this as advice for novices and as explanation for others who use writers' services. I hope you see that writing well requires knowledge, training, and talent.
Writers explain, demonstrate, enlighten, cajole, clarify, and inspire. Professional writers love and value this work. I hope you do, too!
© copyright 2003 Sher Orpen. All rights reserved.
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