The secret of technical writing success?

[Hillary Hart]

I heartily concur with Mary.  If he has a talent for science, 
encourage him to major in whichever branch he prefers.  In a good 
science program he'll do some writing anyway, and, as Mary says, he 
can also take writing courses.

Then he has lots of options (especially if he goes on for a Masters) 
- -everyone is looking for technical folks who can write!!!

hillary

At 07:59 AM 6/22/2007, Mary Connor wrote:
>I have to agree with you and would advise him to get the science 
>undergrad, minor in writing. Just seems SO much easier to establish 
>the technical chops up front. My husband and I both are aware of how 
>not getting the technical degree first makes going after the 
>advanced degrees we want _now_ harder or wildly impractical.
>
>Buy him a copy of the musical "Avenue Q", which opens with "What do 
>you do with a B.A. in English?"
>
>Still, the coming demographic crisis (boomer retirement) should 
>lower his anxiety about employment; should be ample work for the 
>articulate and nimble-minded. Following his passions, he should do fine.  :-)
>
>Best, Mary Connor
>
>________________________________
>
>From: bounce-stc-austin-general-123172 at lists.stc.org 
>[mailto:bounce-stc-austin-general-123172 at lists.stc.org] On Behalf Of Karen Kay
>Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 9:07 PM
>To: STC Austin Discussion List
>Subject: [stc-austin-general] The secret of technical writing success?
>
>
>I got a phone call from my sister today. Her son is 17 and looking 
>at colleges and majors and so on, and the other day, he said to a 
>friend of his that he wished he could find something to do that 
>where he could combine his interest in science with writing. My 
>brother-in-law, bless his heart, said to talk to Aunt Karen.
>
>I'm not sure what to tell him. I feel very strongly that what you 
>major in doesn't determine what you do with your life--heck, I was 
>an undergraduate double major in French and German, then did 
>graduate degrees in linguistics and the history of Japanese 
>language. And now I'm writing about computer chips! All the writers 
>I know well came to technical writing indirectly. I don't know 
>anyone who decided to be a technical writer in high school and who 
>directed their education in the path.
>
>To complicate matters, one of the difficulties my nephew is facing 
>is that he is enormously talented in almost every area. I know that 
>sounds like auntly bragging, but in this case, it's true. He could 
>be an actor, a musician, a math weenie, a newspaper editor... Or a 
>technical writer.
>
>So.... What kind of education would you recommend? My suggestion was 
>a technical education in whatever area he decides on. What do you 
>think? What would you tell someone who is 17 and thinking about 
>choosing your profession?
>
>---
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Dr. Hillary Hart
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Texas at Austin
1 University Station, C1786
Austin, TX 78712-1786

campus mail: C1786
(512) 471-4635
(512) 471-5870 (fax)
hart at mail.utexas.edu
http://www.ce.utexas.edu/prof/hart/

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