Re: Big bucks in tech writing

Subject: Re: Big bucks in tech writing
From: "Dana Worley" <dana -at- campbellsci -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 09:58:48 -0600


On 22 Oct 2002 at 10:00, Bruce Byfield wrote:

> How many people are content with being a technical writer? Do people
> see themselves as being tech-writers for the rest of their working
> lives? Or do they hope to move into another field or into management?
> If they do plan to move away from technical writing, what do they plan
> to do next? Ultimately?

I love my job. I have been in my current position for 5 years now,
and I haven't even begun to approach burnout. Technical writing is
only part of my responsibilities, so that helps. I write help files and
manuals, do a lot of software & hardware testing, some customer
support, and teach a class 3-4 times a year. It also helps that there
is just so much to learn here. There's always a new toy to play with,
and since I'm testing and writing, I'm one of the first people to have
the latest on my desk.

Hmmm... the rest of my life? Well, that's a hard question to answer.
But, like I said, I haven't even begun to approach burnout. I don't
think I want to be in management. In my previous life, I was an
assistant to the president of a company. I knew about, and therefore
worried about, all the financial affairs, had to run interference for my
boss (felt like I was running the company most of the time), had to
manage the secretarial staff, had to manage our facilities, etc. etc.
blah blah blah. I learned from dealing with the secretarial & custodial
staff that I'm not a good manager -- I just don't have the patience to
deal with incompetence and lame excuses.

I would love to be able to stay home and read, garden, maybe sell
stained glass and jewelry, take long bike rides during the day... but
until my ship comes in I'll be working to pay the mortgage and feed
Snoopy-cat.

Dana W.


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