FWD: A Good Problem, but a Problem Nonetheless...

[TECHWR-L Administrator <admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com>]

Forwarded anonymously on request. TECHWR-L Admin.
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I could really use the input of the TECHWR-L community here.

After seven years as a contractor, I took a full time job four years ago 
as a lone tech writer (at a 600 person company who never had a tech 
writer before). It has been a great run - I have a reasoonable workload, 
a grea deal of latitude about how I approach my job, and respect at all 
levels of the company. So what's the problem?

In addition to my TW background, I also have a diversified business 
background. I would like to focus on the technical end - document 
software, run SQL queries, write release notes, etc. My director is 
trying (and has been all along) to direct me to the business end, and I 
wind up doing a lot of business document "font fondling" on things like 
business continuity plans, operating budgets, Org charts, etc.

My concern is as follows:

* I want to focus on the technical end, and am concerned I'm losing 
skills and knowledge
* I suspect she may be trying to keep me in her own area for her own 
needs (I really feel that it's a waste of my company's time and money to 
have me prettying up operating plans, when there is a great deal of 
technical writing needed by other areas.)

Here are my questions:
* Is my situation typical? Are any of you in a similar one?
* Are my concerns about losing my skills justified?
* Should I raise a flag about being a wasted resource?
* A I out of line to say that I want to focus on technical matters, and 
that I feel it's not the best use of my time and their resources to have 
me where I am?

-Long Time Techwrler


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