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I went to school to get an English degree because that is something I
loved and wanted to study. I decided on technical writing as a
profession because it seemed like a logical choice given my degree and
my lack of interest in teaching. I would not say I "fell" into it. I
didn't really think about it before I entered college, but once I
started my English program, I realized it would be a good way to combine
making money with something I enjoy. My school did not have a specific
Technical Communications program, but I took as many technical
writing/editing classes as were offered. My newest hire just graduated
college in December '05. She planned from the beginning to be a
technical writer. (I'm 28 and she's 23).
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+jcemer=wavelink -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+jcemer=wavelink -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
Behalf Of Su-Lyn
Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 8:27 AM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: Younger tech writers?
As a new tech writer (with a degree in it and everything!), I decided to
join the field because I thought that a majority of manuals and
documentation that I'd read had. . . significant room to improve. I was
one
of the people who looked at the manual--written in Chinese and then
'translated' by Babelfish--and said, "They PAY people to do that?"
-- Su-Lyn
On 1/23/07, Chris McQueen <chrism -at- docutechcorp -dot- com> wrote:
>
> Nancy:
>
> Yes, there are young tech writers, they just don't know it yet. I'm
26,
> which I consider young for this industry. But, I don't think you
should
> look for people like me to be the upcoming generation. I think the
new
> generation is a more sophisticated group that needs a change and wants
> more control over their schedule, environment, and income.
>
> The problem seems to be that people look at deliverables (computers,
> homes, stores, etc.) and say, "I want to do that." Which equates to
> getting a degree in Computer Science, Construction Management, or
> Business Management. Honestly, few look at the manual to their vacuum
> or software and say, "Wow, that looks like fun."
>
> Most of a tech writer's work is not accessible to the public. There's
> no deliverable to enchant a young mind. People in college want an
> exciting environment with an obvious deliverable. I still do. Many
of
> us fall into the profession because we like to write and we know
> something. So, if we're interested in recruiting a new generation we
> can market our deliverables such that they are interesting and
> attractive to the public (don't ask me how you do that, sounds tough).
> Or, we market our deliverables to the professionals that already 'know
> something' and want to tell people what that 'something' is or make
that
> 'something' easier to use.
>
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