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> Karen R. Casemier wrote:
"I guess I'm a bad technical writer. I would much prefer to spend my
free
> time with my husband, my dogs, my cat, my horse, good food, good wine,
> good
> music, and good books rather than write help systems."
<SNIP>
"And there is no way I would work as hard as I do if I
> could do 1/2 the work for the same reward. I have a feeling I'm not
> alone."
>
>
Karen is not alone! I went to night school for three years so that I could
get a job in programming. When I found a job market for someone with my
skills (past grant-writing experience, English lit. degree, + programming)
in technical writing instead, I jumped on it, and stayed in it. I don't
carry a beeper like the programmers do, I don't get awakened at 3 a.m. by
Production Control. My weekends are spent hiking, bird-watching,
photographing my cats - ANYTHING but computer work. Tech writing provides
good pay, the chance to get paid for learning new stuff, and the opportunity
to have a life nearly every day of the week. Slavish devotion to something
doesn't necessarily result in quality, either. Some of the highest quality
workers I've worked with punched the clock with a vengeance.
As a team player, I try to give an honest day here at work (so I'd better
finish this post now!), and help out my teammates when they need it so that
THEY can go have their lives, too.
-Joy
