Re: Conceit, or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying About Competition (long)

[Rowena Hart <rhart -at- INTRINSYC -dot- COM>]

Jane Bergen wrote:

>Yes, as a trained, qualified, graduate-of-the-school of hard knocks, I
>am VERY concerned about people coming in and taking jobs. I witness it
>every day. I get calls (as Mentoring Project manager of the local STC
>chapter) weekly of people who "heard about tech writing" and they say
>"well, I've got pretty good grammar skills. I know how to use Word. Can
>you help me get a job as a technical writer? I hear it pays pretty
>good." The sad part of this is that they DO find jobs.

One of the things that everyone on this list dances around is
the fact that technical writers do not work 24 hours a day.  They
spend a great part of the day working in their role as parents,
students, partners, and dreamers.  Technical writing pays the
bills.  It is not a spiritual experience.  It does not make me a
better person.  When I'm doing my job the last thing that occurs
to me is that I am perfecting an art or skill.

Yes, I am concerned about quality writing.  Being an experienced
technical writer does not prevent me from making some really
ugly and heinous mistakes on a daily basis.  If I beat myself into
a bloody mess every time I hit the SNAFU zone, I'd need a lot
of therapy and so would my co-workers.

I got into technical writing because I enjoyed writing and I felt
that the job would afford me a certain amount of respect.  I like
being respected for my work.  I can't get that kind of respect
working in a gas station, discount store or clerical pool.  As a
junior writer, I did junior jobs and got junior respect.  If I had failed,
I doubt I would have gotten even junior respect ... and I would
have looked for a job elsewhere.

>tech writers appear to be in demand and less experienced people are
>willing to work for less. They may be pretty good, but there are none of
>them who would not be better with a little training.

Companies hire people with no experience because they have
a quick and dirty job to do.  This isn't always a bad thing.  These jobs
give people a start, and sometimes they lead to a full-time job or a
"career".

Academic training isn't a "must".  It shouldn't be used as a barrier
to entry.  If someone works hard on the job, they can learn almost
as much from their (trained) co-workers as they can from a college
instructor.  I refer to the apprentice-journeyman-master style of
education.  Apprentices usually don't go to school until they have
gotten their hands dirty doing low-end work on the shop floor.
They can stay an apprentice, or they can work towards being a
journeyman, by ... going to school ... studying ... going back to the
shop floor ... and going to school again to become a master.

Just a few top o' the morning thoughts on the subject,

Rowena

---------------------
Rowena Hart
Technical Writer
Intrinsyc Software, Inc.
Vancouver, B.C. Canada
http://www.intrinsyc.com

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