Re: Tech Writer - Introvert or Extrovert ?

[JIMCHEVAL <JIMCHEVAL -at- AOL -dot- COM>]

In a message dated 98-03-30 21:30:35 EST, tonymar -at- HOTMAIL -dot- COM writes:

<< attributes of a successful technical writing consultant.  He said
 that it was important to be a "strong introvert". >>
We've actually kicked similar ideas around in the past.

As a general thing, I think everybody in a technical field has to have some
'introvert' tendancies - at least enough to enjoy prolonged patches of
solitary work.  However, given that our profession requires communicating to
others, some interest in other people is also necessary and that in turn
requires a degree of extroversion (if only enough to ask a few probing
questions.)

In Meyer-Briggs terms, I'm supposedly an INTP, and I'm told lots of people in
technical fields are.  But I think we writers generally represent a compromise
in personality types that matches the compromise in our work - we take what is
understood by very few and try to make it understood to many.  That dichotomy
between a narrow and a wide focus is probably reflected in our personalities
as well.

A lot of course depends on the staff/independent dichotomy as well.  A person
who's locked themselves into the same job for 20 years is probably more
introverted than someone who's gone out looking for work once every year or
more.

Jim Chevallier
Los Angeles
Available for off-site/freelance work
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