beefing up my tech skills (longish...)

[Charles E Vermette <cvermette -at- juno -dot- com>]

<overview>
I've been a contract TW the last three years...have a significant and
diverse background in business and writing; I also have some coding
background and a head for understanding concepts and systems...

I admit to loving the debates that surface of techwr-l...here are may
stands:

-content versus style, grammar, process, etc: You need to master all of
them. Content comes first. 
-working harder versus working smarter: You need to do both.
-technical ability versus writing ability: You need both.

The following are most important:

-getting the job done
-adding value to those you work with and for
-building equity in yourself
-reading the room (an entertainment term...it means being able to take
queues from your environment, act from them and learn from them.)
-getting into the technical details (and determining *how they are
important* in the overall scheme of things.)
-asking the questions Andrew Plato mentions: what does this do? why does
someone need it? How will it help them? What do they need to know to
install it, use it, program it, set it up, etc.?

One last firm belief: 

-you have to know what you're writing about. Some don't believe that. It
astounds me.

</overview>

<Question>

like many others, I've seen the contracts disappear after 3 years of more
work than I knew what to do with. 
I basically have been a software end user writer and online help
developer. I love it, but I need to become a more technical technical
writer. My question is: 

how to approach this when I'm mid career and mid age (mid 40s?)

Someone once said that downturns are good because they shake out the
hacks. I can get by being a hack. I don't want to.

</question>

<assumptions>
-any course I take involves working my ass of
-no one is going to hand me the greatest opportunity in the world, or
hold my hand
-the RIGHT courses/certificates are great. The wrong ones are a huge
waste. One of the worst TW's I know has a masters in tech writing. 'nuff
said. 
</assumptions>

<summary>
I'd appreciate thoughts/comments on:

-fields to consider (hardware, networking, database technology, etc.)
-GOOD resources (books, web pages, etc.) on these fields
-how to make this transition (ideally, from those who've done it.

</summary>

Happy new year to all.
-Chuck
____________________
Charles E. Vermette
85 Washington Park Drive
Norwell MA 02061
781-659-1836
e-mail: cvermette -at- juno -dot- com

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