The 6 Steps

To determine art I usually look at the intent and purpose of the piece. If something is created with some sort of intention it is definitely artistic. Something created with intention could be a document that was made to inform people about the proper etiquette at formal dinners could be art if the final product conveys the intention effectively. Also, if something was made with a purpose, even if it is more abstract like to convey or express feelings is art as long is it conveys the intended feelings. Something I would not consider art would be something arbitrarily made with no purpose or intention or that doesn't represent the intention at all. 

Since most professional writing is made with a distinct purpose that definitely qualifies it as art in my book. Examples of when it may not be would be if it fails or misrepresents what it was meant to represent. It might be hard to define something like an instruction manual as art to some people, but the process of it was inherently artistic because it required knowledge, skill, and creativity to be completed effectively. 

To improve my own professional writing I should probably revise more with other people. Sort of like a combination usability test/revision would be helpful. It would also be good to get multiple opinions on each draft from people with different perspectives. This would require a lot more time but would pay off at the end to make sure that my work isn't just applicable to certain people.