I write technical stuff. Okay, stop that yawning right now. When I say technical, I’m not talking math or science or even computers. I’m talking stuff you use or come in contact with, like insurance (okay, go ahead and yawn, but just for a second!), risk management, healthcare, offshore investing, accounting, financial services, sales reps, real estate, business services, Internet services, and more. Not the juiciest topics on the planet, which is why we tech writers face a bit more cons to our jobs than consumer writers. Like these:
1. The deer-in-headlights stare. Oh, we saw you. The minute you heard we were writers and you asked all excitedly, “Oh really? What do you write?” we told you and there it was. The look. The look that said, “Damn, where’s the exit?” or “Oh shit, this will be boring.” You can’t hide that. And you can’t escape. If you were willing to listen to what you thought was going to be a gripping plot line to a thrilling mystery novel, you’re damn well going to listen to my telling you how sovereign wealth funds from other countries are shoring up our economy, or how a doctorate in nursing practice is dividing healthcare professionals about its practicality. Muhahahahaha!
2. No one to funnel extra work to. I’ve tried. And a few of my dearest writing friends have come back begging for mercy. A few others just stopped writing to me. It’s tough keeping friends when they volunteer to help and then realize, too late, that this writing for trade journals or business mags isn’t like writing for Penthouse Forum. It’s sexy to me, but a different kind of sexy. Sort of like tight leather pants on an obese rock star. Oddly fascinating and fun to listen to, but it’s not exactly going to conjure up exotic fantasies.
3. This stuff doesn’t interest you as much as it should. We can’t convince anyone beyond other geeks in the field(s) that this stuff is really the meat of how we live and breathe, but try finding someone with the attention span or the interest to hear more. Perhaps we should hang out with more risk managers. They’re wildly entertaining. Really. Some of the best fun I’ve had has been listening to their stories of how they reduce company risks and create safe workplaces, but still try proving that three college-age men can indeed climb out a fourth-floor window using only bedsheets.
4. Our creativity is limited. Rare is the article on worker’s compensation that will include the line, “He grabbed her to him, ripping her bodice as he did” unless it’s followed by something like “…fracturing three ribs and creating not only a worker’s compensation claim, but a sexual harassment suit against his company, for no manager should demand that much attention of an employee.” But we can dream.
5. We’d write about math, science, and computers if we knew how – and some of us do. Most of you might find that pathetic. Oh hell, I find that pathetic. And yes, I’d write about all of those if there were a way to do it without getting a PhD in any of those areas. Then again, I read quantum mechanics books for fun. I read other stuff, like P.D. James mysteries and John Irving books, but you’re going to brand me a geek for wanting to read about Schroedinger’s cat, aren’t you? Do you even know who that is? Hey! Wake up out there!
5 responses to “The Downside of Technical Writing”
I hear ya–before I became a freelancer, I spent more than 6 years writing the marketing collateral for a health care company.
Now that I’m doing my own thing, I’m still pigeonholed as a “health care writer”. Instead of fighting it, I’ve decided to embrace it. When I get a project that’s not health care-related, I just see it as my reward for slogging through the non-so-exciting stuff.
And I do know about Schroedinger’s cat, but only because I watch a lot of TV (anybody catch last night’s rerun of The Big Bang Theory?)
Personally, I love writing techically – I write software manuals. It’s not so much the writing though as the chance to play around with computers a lot; plus I enjoy the information design and research aspects of producing manuals.
That said, I very much enjoy switching my brain over to writing fiction once in a while – and I think that I’m better at it for knowing how to write in a more business-like style.
Then you must read “In Search of Schroedinger’s Cat” by John Gribbin. It just blows your mind!
Catherine, I have no trouble switching over, either. I think you’re right – our business brains can attack the necessary details a bit better.
I once had an ongoing gig writing all about state-funded mortgage loans. YAWN. It was difficult to gear up for work every day, but it paid well, so I endured.
Ooo, there’s some gripping stuff! Amanda, I feel your pain. I had to write life insurance courses based on state insurance laws. I tell you, I was all a-flutter with excitement every morning (woo).