RE: Big bucks in tech writing

["Grant, Christopher" <CGrant -at- glhec -dot- org>]

> However, I wonder how accurate this impression is. So, I'd to 
> throw out some questions to the list:
> 
> How many people are content with being a technical writer?

Having done it now for a little over 3 years, I'm content in that I find it
satisfying and intellectually stimulating.  There's still a lot for me to
learn and a lot of room for me to continue to improve, so I'm content with
being a technical writer for now.  

> Do people see themselves as being tech-writers for the rest of their 
> working lives?

Heck no.  I see myself as being a technical writer until it's not a viable
way for me to achieve "foo-you money."  "Foo-you money" is the amount of
money I need before I can tell the working world to shove it and I can start
living Real Life, which may involve NOT working.  The actual dollar amount
of "foo-you money" varies from person to person, obviously. 

(I must credit Neal Stephenson in the novel _Cryptonomicon_ for the idea of
"foo-you money," though he uses a slightly different label. :)

I find technical writing to be an interesting intellectual challenge but
not, in my case, interesting enough to pursue as a life mission.  I try to
create the best work I possibly can, but I'm not on a crusade to make sure
everyone knows how to use various products as they were intended to be used.
:) 

> Or do they hope to move into another field or into management? 

Unless something else comes along that suits my talents better, I'll pursue
this field for a while.  A management position would be a new interesting
intellectual challenge and potentially would allow me to approach foo-you
money more quickly.  

> If they do plan to move away from technical writing, what do they plan 
> to do next? 

As a technical writer trying to create the best material I possibly can, I
find myself becoming more and more technical.  I'd probably move next into
application design, usability, or testing.  

I also find myself more and more relying on problem-solving skill.

> Ultimately?

I think aside from managing information, technical writers are in a fabulous
position to become valuable critics and consultants.  Because we (should)
sit in the circle with developers, clients, SMEs and end users, we often are
afforded an overarching view of a project or process.  This view is often
lost on other folks because they have a (necessarily) myopic view of the
project they're working on.  Often, I find myself being able to quickly cut
through issues or situations because it's my responsibility to step back and
figure out how it all fits together.  So ultimately, I'd like to be a
consultant or paid critic.

Until I hit foo-you money, that is.  Then I'd like to go back to being a
college student.

Chris Grant


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