Yeah, the tools matter, but...

The theme of the latest monthly newsletter of my professional society, Intercom, is "Writing and Web 2.0." I'm all excited to read this, especially given this blog.

*splat*

This is my nose running into the big fat wall of disappointment that is this issue. Maybe it's a failing of print media, or that the monthly mag is not directed at the 10-year professional. Maybe technical writers are largely unispired writers in general (I don't believe that, mostly). The first article promised discussion of how the writing process has changed with web 2.0, and then it degenerated, typically, into a discussion of tools. Next article is interesting but it's about taking the FOSS approach to managing your writing toolset, not really about writing at all.

One ray of hope, the podcasting article, written largely to explain basic podcasting concepts (not the hopeful part). The writers are advocating the use of podcasting to capture technical writing expertise, which I like, and they have created a site of podcasts by tech communciators for us. Now this is something I can spend some time exploring.

"Writing and Web 2.0" largely falls short of what their topic can actually provide--ideas from people who really know something, are doing something, or are thinking about things in interesting ways. Talk about the writing and web 2.0.