For the Technical Writers out there who are...

JayEss · Sep 25, 2005

... creative writers as well.

Do you find that your technical style pops up (maybe accidentally) when you are in creative mode? Do you find it hard to keep the two styles separate?

I am thinking about taking up policy writing or documentation writing as a day job but am worried it will stain my creative style...

What are your thoughts?

Good Word · Sep 26, 2005

Never ever not one bit.

If you were a house painter, would it have a negative effect on you if you were an impressionist painter? Probably not.

However, if you sat in front of a computer alot, writing technical stuff, it might sometimes be harder to sit there for your creative work as well.

paprikapink · Sep 26, 2005

I considered myself a writer before I even knew what one was; I've just always written. It had been just a personal expression kinda thing, I only earned money at two-bit day jobs. Then I fell into technical writing and I loved it. It paid well, the hours were good, it was interesting, and I was good at it. But, I did not write anything else for the 13+ years I did it. It just wasn't there.

I know plenty of people whose experience more closely parallels what Good Word describes. But I know plenty who're like me too.

JayEss · Sep 26, 2005

paprikapink said:
But, I did not write anything else for the 13+ years I did it. It just wasn't there.

I guess this is what I am afraid of...

paprikapink · Sep 26, 2005

JayEss said:
I guess this is what I am afraid of...

Then you may be ahead of the game already.

Not long after I became a tech writer I heard of someone who didn't do anymore creative writing after starting the technical stuff, and I thought, "that would never happen to me." maybe if I hadn't treated the possibility so lightly I'd have done better.

JayEss · Sep 26, 2005

Yikes. I don't like the sound of that at all.

Do you think the danger is there with business writing as well - such as writing policies/procedures?

Good Word · Sep 27, 2005

What kind of work do you do now, and why are you considering tech writing?

Are you getting a lot of your own writing done? If you are that concerned about tech writing or business writing eating into your creative drive then maybe you shouldn't. I know some people that it doesn't bother, but then there are folks like Paprika who it didn't work so well for. Understandably so. But if it happens with tech writing, it probably would happen with biz writing as well.

Just my nickel's worth.

JayEss · Sep 27, 2005

Good Word said:
What kind of work do you do now, and why are you considering tech writing?

Are you getting a lot of your own writing done? If you are that concerned about tech writing or business writing eating into your creative drive then maybe you shouldn't. I know some people that it doesn't bother, but then there are folks like Paprika who it didn't work so well for. Understandably so. But if it happens with tech writing, it probably would happen with biz writing as well.

Just my nickel's worth.

I'm on an IT helpdesk at the moment; and have been in IT for years. I don't specialise in anything - so my IT knowledge is very general. Yay for me. (Not).

I'm probably not so much considering tech writing (because of the intense study and research involved), but more so business writing - I dabbled in some general procedure writing for another crappy job I had back in the day and didn't mind it -- well, as far something to do during the hours of 9 - 5 are concerned anyway.

At work, when the big shots send out (or rather, when they get their P.A.s to send out) their general emails, I find myself picking out the grammatical errors and generally keeping myself amused at how I would have written it better. Pretty sad huh?

bestseller · Sep 29, 2005

Go For It!

I work as a Tech. Writer during the day and I love it. There isn't any intense study or research. What you're basically doing is taking the information that others know, test it and make it easy for the rest of the world to understand. For me it fills the void while I wait to become a bestseller . . . hee . . hee. The pay is very rewarding (you can even hit 6-figure salary with the right assignment – depending on location – don’t know what pay is like in Australia). During my downtime at work and my lunch breaks, I write creatively – my goal is to write 1,500 - 2,000 words a day on any of my fiction projects. Sometimes I well surpass that. I haven't had any problems switching from business voice to technical and adding creativity in there. If at all anything, the constant writing during the day has improved my creativity in many ways.

JayEss, have you looked into what technical writing involves? If not, check out the free course at Suite101.com and also google it and see what other sites you come up with that may be useful:

http://www.suite101.com/course.cfm/17242/lessons

Wishing you the best!

JayEss · Sep 29, 2005

bestseller said:
There isn't any intense study or research. What you're basically doing is taking the information that others know, test it and make it easy for the rest of the world to understand.

Well, that's what I thought. The advertisements for tech jobs here in Aust suggests otherwise; makes the job hunter think - geez - are those requirements really necessary?

I appreciate the reply.

More thoughts have passed since.

What I am thinking now: I could always trial business/tech writing and if I find my creative tendencies starting to dissipate, I will stop it altogether!

For the Technical Writers out there who are...

JayEss

Good Word

still crazy after all these years

paprikapink

Bored fanatic

JayEss

paprikapink

Bored fanatic

JayEss

Good Word

still crazy after all these years

JayEss

bestseller

JayEss