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On Fri, 14 Aug 1998, Russ Hunt wrote: > Tania says, > > > Professional writing is, like Russ says, "writing you get paid to > > do". But I think it's more than that. I think a degree or course > > in "professional writing" should qualify a person to write for pay, > > for example, as a freelance writer, editor, and proofreader -- a > > person who can make a profession out of writing! > > Well, it seems to me this is actually _less_ than "writing you get > paid to do." A lawyer, an insurance agent, a social worker, an > architect, do what _I'd_ call "professional writing," and get paid > specifically to do it -- briefs, reports to clients, recommendations > to authorities, proposals . . . etc., etc. They're not "hired > guns," in the sense that they're hired _just_ to write (as, e.g., a > tech writer at a software firm would be) but it seems to me what they > do is professional writing. Or at least an argument can be made that it is. I think Russ has a good point here, that a more accurate use of "professional" would need to go beyond "someone who gets paid to do something." In fact, most of the literature I've read on professionalism suggests (ironically) just the opposite, that a professional is someone who does not sell their labour on the market but rather is reimbursed for their access to and distribution of specialized, elite knowledge. So, a professor is not paid by the hour but is reimbursed at a fixed rate because of the knowledge that person controls and shares. (indeed if we were paid by the hour......!) A professional is someone who has access to elite (socially important) knowledge and thereby exchanges access to that knowledge for financial security. Thus, a professional does not barter on the market for fees or wages. This is what would separate "professional" from "freelance," "entrepreneur," or "creative writer" since each of those writers must barter and negotiate fees. Professionals (traditionally) command a fixed salary. Professional writing is writing that supports and codifies a certain body of knowledge as both elite (restricted) and necessary to the functioning of society. This is what makes recent changes to medicine, law, and other "professions" so interesting since they are being required to either work for hourly wages, or compete on the market for fees. At the same time, more technologies are making "specialized knowledge" more and more accessible for people, leaving out the professional as gatekeeper. (please email me separately if you find this interesting) Finally, as Graham, and other Canadians working here in the US know, a "professional" is really one of the 41 categories that qualify for TN visa status according to the INS and Revenue Canada! Best wishes, Brenton --------------------------------------------------- Brenton D. Faber [log in to unmask] Assistant Professor Technical Communications [log in to unmask] Clarkson University Potsdam NY 13699