Re: On not becoming discouraged
--- Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com> wrote:
Why not? You're not going to suggest that the goal
is self-expression?
It might be, for some.
From fiction and poetry, definitely. From articles, usually. But self-expression from a procedure or a table? No doubt I have a character deficiency, but I don't look for self-expression there. I may get satisfaction out of a job well done, or from ordering and expressing simply some complicated material, but I don't consider that self-expression.
In fact, a strong case can be made that tech-writing isn't usually the place for self-expression. The purpose of tech-writing is to convey information. Attempts at self-expression are likely to distract from this purpose, so they rarely belong.
I was going to suggest havingI was talking from a business point of view. Still, if you don't satisfy employers, you won't have much chance to have fun, and if you satisfy neither employers nor customers, you won't be making money very long, either. Tech-writing is a business or a job. I wouldn't do it if I didn't find some satisfaction in it, but I don't think it's a good idea to lose track of its purpose.
fun and making money.
Worrying too much about elegant solutions or self-expression both fall under losing track of the purpose. More - putting either before meeting your contractual obligations or the job responsibilities is unprofessional, too.
--
Bruce Byfield bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com 604.421.7177
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