February is a short month usually marked by cold weather (at least in the Northern Hemisphere) and by a particular holiday which helps to warm those frosty winter nights—Valentine's Day. While there are strong arguments that the holiday has gotten too commercial and the sentiment of the day should be celebrated all year 'round, it focuses on one main thing: love. Sure, we love our friends and family, and perhaps even a few pets, but what else do we love?
I don't know about you, but I love technical communication. I know you must think I've dived off the deep end on this one. Maybe I even sound rather goofy saying it but I really do love technical communication. I'm willing to bet, too, that many of you love technical communication as well. How can I be so confident about that assumption? Well, you are reading this post on the blog of the Society for Technical Communication, aren't you?
Seriously, once I figured out what technical communication was all about, I realized that I've loved it for a long time. I didn't even know what technical communication was until about four or five years ago. I've definitely immersed myself in it ever since then, even during my free time. What do I love about it? If nothing else, I like the variety that encompasses technical communication. Technical communication is not just one thing—it's many things! There's Web design, there's writing, there's user strategy, there's content strategy, there's editing … and so much more! I've barely scratched the surface of it. It covers a wide range of skill sets stretched across many disciplines. I am a person who gets bored doing just one thing, and here's a profession that allows me to be an editor one day, a Web designer another day, and a blogger the next—or perhaps all three on the same day!
I like the fact that this is a profession that melds the side of me that likes technology and technical things with the humanities and arts side of me. As technology changes, opportunities to learn new things change. I don't have to be pigeon-holed into one category as a technical communicator. Perhaps there's something rebellious about being a technical communicator that way. Who doesn't want to be a rebel now and then? I also like this profession because it makes me think outside of my own head and “outside of the box.” Creative solutions are usually needed in this field, even with mundane tasks sometimes. This field is constantly challenging me and pushing me forward.
Technical communicators are the people who help to push the envelope. Without us, the world could fall apart! Sure, we know that there are plenty of people who very often ignore the instructions and manuals we write, but they are thankful when there is a well-written manual to save a bad situation. So, technical communicators are loved in a not-so-obvious way, but we are quietly loved. Who doesn't want to be loved? The oft-said credo of the technical communications field is, “Know your audience,” and in the end, we do and it shows.
The diversity of the work that uses the things I like most and do best demonstrates why I love technical communication. Why do you love technical communication? There has to be a reason. If not, you're in the wrong business. List your reasons in the comments, and share the love!
I love tech comm because of all the reasons you noted—and because of the people I get to meet, like you.