Re: career path in the third and fourth decades?

[arroxaneullman -at- aol -dot- com]

Monica Cellio <cellio -at- pobox -dot- com> commented, " I hadn't considered that 
tech-writing as a field might be new enough to not have many (or any) 
40-year veterans; that's a good point."

Actually, Technical Writing is nearly a century old (if you include 
Engineering Writing as the predecessor). But most of the older TWs have 
moved on. My grandfather is fully retired and was a technical writer 
back in the 50s-80s. He still fancies himself a technical writer. I 
consider him a novelist with technical interests--but don't tell him I 
said that!

I'm sure there are tech writers who have been in the field for 30-50 
years, but they probably have some more grandiose title, like VP to the 
Deity of Tech Comm.  ;)

If you look at the STC statistics, you find out that the average member 
has been in tech comm for around 20 years. Where are all the golden-era 
TWs? They may not be comfortable enough with electronic communication 
to participate in a list such as this. But that's just my guess.

 Personally, after about 25 years of tech writing I plan to "retire" 
and write the Great American Science Fiction Novel. Or not.

:)
 Arroxane
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