Sometimes I like to read, sometimes I like to work-out, sometimes I like to listen to speeches or watch movies or play video games...but right now, all I want to do is write. It's funny how after you graduate from college the necessity of writing anything just for the sake of writing drops virtually to zero. As an engineer, the only writing that I do is concise e-mails shot back and forth to coworkers meant to convey a complicated message in as simple language as possible. Long words and phrases turn into acronyms and compound sentences turn into bullet points. Difficult computations are much better represented as an attached Excel document and in-depth presentations become PowerPoints. And the statements that get electronically transferred through e-mail must be checked and double-checked for comprehension and accuracy, for once that "SENT" button is pressed, your simple statements become living documentation demonstrating your, and the organization that you represent's signed and authorized opinion of a certain situation. E-mail's can be dangerous... One wrong word sent to one wrong person can mean a thread-ful of hurt responses. Even the choice between "TO" and "CC" becomes a matter of close scrutiny; does a person copied on an e-mail really need to read the e-mail at all???
Technical writing takes all of the freedom and creativity that existed in your high school English class and flips it on its head. The need to use symbolism and literary devices is trumped by the desire for clear and concise communication. Maybe this is why so many people turn to blogging (and Facebook) to express their needs to write...freehand...in whatever literary fashion they may so desire. Whether a post contains the grammatical inferiority of an 8 year old or the professional tone of a world renowned author, the blog-ee can always feel good about taking the words within him and setting them out to the world (with no risk of rebuttal except that of a sharply phrased comment or two...) Although I do not think of myself as a regular "blogger", I respect and understand those who take the time to keep up with the online world and freely contribute their thoughts and opinions. Thanks to everyone who does this as it continues to keep people like me (lazy internet stumblers) with a bit of Attention Deficit Disorder entertained every day. Maybe someday I'll get more involved in the wide world of blogging and give a little back myself...
