Re: Looking for advice -- up to the job?

["S Ryan" <sryan -at- sryan -dot- com>]

Many people here have had valuable advise. I would add one thing to all of
that:

Find yourself a job doing whatever it is you really want to do. Make sure
that you are in a group working for a working manager who is 1. really good.
2. willing to mentor you. This IS a tall order. But it will provide an
honest feedback of your skills in the field and an excellent example and
opportunity to learn from someone with much deeper and broader experience in
the field. This is always a Good Thing.

It's very difficult being a lone tech writer just starting out, with no one
to reflect back to you what's working and what not. It's certainly possible,
as I'm sure many folks here will attest. However, it sounds like you're in
need of some perspective from someone who's been around the block and is
familiar with both your work and the expected work product.

There's no shame in being a beginner at something. And it is to your credit
that you are trying to diagnose and solve the issue. Another way you can do
this is to ask people more in-depth questions when they say things like "you
don't understand the product well enough." You can only address the issue if
you find out what they expect you to know.

In the meantime, compile a portfolio and see what you actually did do, and
do well. It's easy to completely lose perspective and decide that polishing
the cannon outside the city hall is one's intellectual limit. Seeing
valuable contributions that are yours helps.

Best of luck in your travels, anonymous.

S Ryan
Writer & Editor
"Niente senza gioia"
sryan at sryan dot com





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