Lawrence Don-Elysyn
I am sometimes asked what a person should study in order to become a technical editor. After all, people study medicine to be doctors, other people study education to be teachers, and even engineers have studied engineering in order to become whatever they are. So, what does someone study to become a technical editor? Technical editing?
Don’t be silly.
In my experience, technical editors and writers are former students of practically everything except technical editing. I’ve worked with erstwhile salesmen, engineers, electricians, welders, purchasing agents, soldiers, sailors, Indian Chiefs (no kidding), fine arts grads, and experts in ancient Near Eastern studies. Occasionally, one of them admits to having taken a course in “tech writing” or “editing” but, as a rule, most of them proudly state that they came into the business from some other venue where “tech writing” and “editing” were not mentioned even in the most private of conversations. This is probably because most people in the technical writing/ editing business had no intention of becoming technical editors. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone for whom technical writing/editing was the “first choice” of career. “What do you want to be when you grow up, Johnny?”
“A tech editor.”
“Wash your mouth…now.”
Kids “wanna be” almost anything (doctors, dentists, soldiers, sailors, rock stars, or Mafia hit men) except technical editors. Admit it. We’re not “numero uno” with any young person unless that poor young thing is severely unhinged. However, there is something to be said for being “numero dos” or “…tres” for that matter. After all, there are too many lawyers and too many people on welfare. A surfeit of doctors would give us uncrowded ERs, a situation so unfamiliar to most of us that we honestly could not put up with it. As far as being an Indian Chief or a professor of ancient Near Eastern studies is concerned, well, there is a definite dearth of openings. So, there remain a bunch of us that have to do something and there has to be something better than telemarketing, McDonald’s, or systems analyst. And that’s why the forces that be created technical writing and editing. Can you figure out which way is up on a blueprint? Can you read and write? Do you know anything at all about machines or software?
You’re in.
Now, some might object that I am belittling our life work. No way. I’m just giving it the place it really has. It’s not a glamour job. Most people have no idea what we do. However, it’s nonetheless a very good job. There’s the constant challenge of learning about new things and of helping others organize information in order to make it accessible to the readership. There’s the socializing with writers who, as stated above, have varied and interesting backgrounds. There’s the thrill of the deadline, of confronting pompous customers, and of dealing with information from obscure suppliers, disappearing OEMs, and mellifluous SMEs. We’ve got a life here. However, the thrills aren’t up front. TV stars don’t make sit-coms out of our perils. (“It’s hilarious fun as Bobby, Posty, and Squeaker try to write instructions on how to put together a 20-foot wall unit.”) The Big Screen doesn’t glorify us. (“His name is Doomsday, and he’s your worst nightmare. He edits software user manuals. Don’t mess with him, or you’ll never be able to use your computer again.”) And, as stated above, kids do not eagerly seek to join our ranks. In some ways, you might call it a grown-up job. Not much sugar candy or glitter here, just the feel of a manual well-written, of accurate information effectively conveyed. It’s a good feeling, and it can be yours with whatever background you start with: tinker, tailor, or Indian Chief. And, now that I think of it, some of those technical writing or editing courses might not be so bad after all.
Lawrence is the senior text editor at Bombardier Transportation in St. Bruno, Quebec, Canada. He has been with Bombardier 14 years. He is married (to a lady from Dallas) and has three grown children and two grandchildren. You can reach him at lawrence.don-elysyn@ca. transport.bombardier.com.