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>I love the art of technical writing. But I go absolutely
>nuts sitting in a cubicle and technical writing all day!
So would anybody!
How do you know what to write? I think most technical writers spend
most of their time finding out what the truth is and very little
time writing it down.
Sometimes I can work for many hours without interruption, but that's
usually during the more mechanical aspects of a job. Grasping the
big picture, organizing it in your mind, then expressing it clearly
and concisely are hard jobs. I don't know anybody who does that sort
of work for eight hours a day, then goes home and forgets it.
Your experience may be different, but I find that writing is an
all-engrossing activity. I can't compartmentalize it into blocks of
work time and non-work time. During the really hard parts I spend
most of my time doing something else and letting my brain do its
work in the background.
So don't sit in a cubicle all day. If you have to keep specific work
hours, take frequent breaks. Talk with developers -- attend their
design sessions. Take classes. Join committees -- work on the style
guide or the company newsletter, be a United Way representative. Go
for long walks to free your mind and keep your body healthy. ...RM
Richard Mateosian <srm -at- cyberpass -dot- net> www.cyberpass.net/~srm/
Review Editor, IEEE Micro Berkeley, CA
