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I've been poking around the archive for this list, and I see that there was
quite an active discussion about tech writing carriers for people
originally bound for academia. I've tried to get in touch with some of the
people who participated in that discussion, but as it occurred quite some
time ago, people's e-mail addresses have changed and I've had no luck. I
also have a couple of questions not covered in what I found of the original
discussion.
I was completing my Ph.D. at Stanford in comparative literature but found
my life increasing complicated by the near-impossibility of living in the
bay area on a grad student's stipend (although I know of course I was lucky
just to have one). As I had jobs before doing tech writing (contract and
over the summers), I finally decided this year to take a full-time job as a
tech writer. I'd been feeling dispirited about academia and was tired of
starving.
Though I don't have any problems doing the work -- I already had a fair
amount of experience and have always been a major techo-phile - I'm finding
the transition a bit rough at times. Will the work be satisfying in the
long run? What is the career path for a tech writer? It's nice work now,
but should I just go out and get some kind of engineering degree as well?
Or move to marketing?
I've had 9 to 5 jobs before, but this feels different. The next year may
well determine what I do with the rest of my life.
I'd love to hear advice from any of you out there who have made or are
contemplating this switch. I could still complete my dissertation in my
"spare time" and go on the academic job market, but, well, the clock is
ticking.
Thanks again,
Harrison Brace
Ceci n'est pas encore un .sig
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