Re: Contract Work or No Contract Work?

[Rose Wilcox <RWILC -at- FAST -dot- DOT -dot- STATE -dot- AZ -dot- US>]

Stui wrote about my (Rose's) comment:
>> Not necessarily, but it is less effort than marketing yourself.

>I'd second that Karen..  In all the years I've been "doing it myself" I
have
>found, however, that you have to "sit down with yourdelf" and solidify the
>commitment to make it work.  Make no mistake Rose, it takes commitment (all
>beit to yourself which can be harder than to a company as there is only
>yourslef to answer to) .

It takes more than commitment -- it also take time, and perhaps money, to
support yourself and your family while you build up your contacts and your
business.  For some people, time and money are premium, especially if you
are raising children.  You cannot afford to give up your full-time income
while you build up your business.  You do not have all the "leisure" hours
to dedicate to building up the business because you need those hours for
your family.

Also, not all writers have the personality to market themselves.  Self
marketing takes a degree of extroversion, and I, personally, although you
wouldn't know it from my posting, am an introvert much of the year. :-)

The above statement about "less effort" was a throw away line.  I just threw
it over my shoulder as I coursed down the superhighway, tripping lightly
over the posts and mailing lists, answering questions, making comments,
passing off my opinions as knowledge :-),... etc.  By the phrase "less
effort" I wished to capture the sheer laziness of me, as a job shopper, who
revels in the luxury of only having to pour on the charm in an actual
interview.  After I get the job, I get to sit at my little cube, working,
and not worry about self marketing, until the contract is up, during which
time I contact all the agencies in the Valley, and turn on the charm again
(for interviews -- in between interviews I sit at home moping and fretting,
watching daytime TV, and crying into my Black Lab's unkempt fur).

If I decided to start my own business, now that the kid is semi-raised (they
come back, y'know, so beware) (and my friend Cyndi here at work reminded me,
"well, you have to eat too, Rose") then I would have to do a business plan,
get cards made up, upgrade my computer (beaucoup bucks), go to meetings of
other professional societies besides STC (like ACM, etc.), write and mail
marketing letters, call people, schmooze with people for whom I might not
*make* money (unlike contracting agencies who automatically love me cause I
might make em money so it's easier for my little introverted personality to
pull out for a few minutes and schmooze), and so forth.

Like I said, I'm lazy.  Some folks *thrive* on the above.  Someday, I've
speculated, I might, too.  Who knows, the extrovert-within may come crashing
out some day, and like I said, the kid (who is currently running around the
U.S. of A. in a '71 VW bus living out someone's dream of hippie freedom
which may result in a return to Mom's house some day to change directions --
probably to get a little place with a garden in a small town and sell
crocheted hats and bags and organic produce) is mostly raised and I have
more money to put into my career and I do like to be independent which is
mostly what I achieve with little effort by being a contractor through job
shops....

But *then* I'd have to do the TAX THING.... ARGGGHHHH!!! (Okay, calm down,
calm down little compulsive spending side of the personality... I can learn
to save money.... calm down... calm down...)

I think that all excellent tech writers are committed... I am committed to
my career just as much as an independent; permanent employees are committed
to their careers no less than I.

We just have different sets of needs, life styles, choices, personalities,
opportunities, and resources.  Commitment to a career may involve setting up
your own business, learning everything you can about a speciality such as
on-line help, taking courses and seminars, studying books on aspects of
technical writing, putting in long (unpaid) hours of overtime as a permanent
employee to get the books out, and many other actions.

Sorry for the long digression.

Rose A. (the 'A' stands for "Agonizingly Long Sentences") Wilcox
rwilc -at- fast -dot- dot -dot- state -dot- az -dot- us
ncrowe -at- primenet -dot- com
"Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative
effort."
Franklin Roosevelt