President's Message:
The English Degree Bites Back

by Opal Gamble, President

During my final year in University, on a work term, one of my fellow co-op students walked past my desk shaking his head and muttering to himself.

He backed up, looked me square in the eye, and said, "you know you've been in English too long when you find yourself in the washroom wishing for a pen so you can correct the mis-spelled graffiti."

This statement, of course, made me laugh loud and long. However, deep down, I knew what he was getting at. It's that same editing behaviour that most technical writers squash in public. You know the instinct I'm talking about: mentally rewording signs in store windows to eliminate passive voice, pointing out typographical errors on menus to the staff in restaurants, or editing co-workers' e-mails.

That Editing Bug

As a group, technical communicators seem to really get a kick out of tweaking text or illustrations in all of their forms, even if the tweaking is just for our own, personal satisfaction. I propose, however, that this is only the first phase of having technical communications take over your life.

Now, don't take that the wrong way. I'm not calling anyone obsessive about his or her job: I just think that it's hard to turn off that need for clear, concise communication at the end of the day. Few, if any of us, can walk away from our desks at 5:02 p.m. and drop the editing process entirely.

The Inability to Turn It Off

Honestly, I don't think I'd want to be able to flip that communications and editing switch off, either.

I discovered exactly how unable I was to let undefined terms and ambiguity go unaddressed when I started participating in Solo2 events during the summer. The sport is full of technical jargon, acronyms, and—worse!—differing opinions about what those terms mean.

Slaloms may be a fun thing to do with your Sunday, but it's definitely frustrating for a newbie that doesn't know the terminology. So, I opened my big mouth and volunteered to create a dictionary of terms (complete with diagrams!) as a reference point for the use of participants.

The Ray of Sunshine

As you've probably guessed, being a Technical Writer occasionally gets me into trouble. However, there is a bright side to this: there is a market for each of us to be a communicator within our own hobbies! I thought that was just one of those rumours other writers started to to see how many people were gullible enough to believe them.

There are communicators in all sorts of industries, so why not make a niche for yourself by working with something that you know and enjoy?

In fact, I think I could argue that there are a number of people doing a wonderful job of technical communication without even knowing it.

Heresy!

No, I'm not advocating that anyone can be a technical communicator. What I am saying is that if people can write about things that interest them, technical communications can be fun and painless.

Do you want some proof? Here are some examples that relate to hobbies mentioned in Quill contributors' biographies. These Web sites—of varying quality, certainly, but they still make my point—are examples of technical communication:

• knitty.com: This group does an excellent job of explaining the technicalities of their self-made patterns. They do such a good job, in fact, that I've nearly been lured into trying a few of their patterns myself. Example: The Hallowig.
• Digital Photography Review: This site is a goldmine of camera reviews, terminology, buying hints, and photography tips. Example: How to do Double Exposures with a Digicam.
• Yoga Basics: With pictures and careful instructions for each position, this site looks like a great reference for beginners. Example: How to do a low lunge.

The Point is Clear

I could keep going, but I think you get the point: technical communication is everywhere!

So, if you're looking for a challenge, why not stretch those communication muscles a little and do some writing for a hobbyist group? You never know when that hobby might turn into a job.

As for my Solo2 glossary, it's time for me to get cracking before the winter series starts.

About Opal Gamble

Technical writer, web monkey, and general geek, Opal's wanted to be a tech writer since high school; she became a STC-SOC council member in 1997. A graduate of UW's co-op Rhetoric and Professional Writing program, Opal is a Technical Writer and (unofficial) Web designer at Virtek. She also runs her own freelance business.

When she's not doing STC business, Opal participates in autocross events (with a hybrid car, no less!) and tries to cultivate a green thumb in her garden.