Stop whining and write (you're more valuable that way).

I recently read three questions in writer's online groups and an article in which writers question or complain about technical and client-centered writing. The authors are worried they are not getting their own voice across, not allowed to show enough creativity, aren't receiving enough credit.

I say: stop whining and write. You're more valuable that way.


Stop measuring your worth by your byline. I know you're hoping to write a novel or creative work that changes the world. I am too. (I fantasize my work of genius will be found alongside To Kill A Mockingbird as required reading. Or that at least TKAM is restored to required lists in all schools. But I digress). 

There is something to be said for technical accomplishments.  I have been a creative and technical/proposal/PR writer for 20 years. Despite being moderately successful at the creative endeavors, I've been told by creative writers that I'm not a "real" writer [insert "but it's cute you think so" tone here] because I spend more time on technical writing.

So humor me (though I'm not kidding) when I say:

• Consider that a grant I wrote - a boring, research-laden federal grant - created an innovative education program for my city and has since revolutionized the way we look at parent engagement in education.
• Leadership articles and blogs I have written have been institutionalized into training programs through which people are learning to work better in teams and have greater impact in their organizations.
• A fellow technical writer/friend of mine wrote the guidebook to a complicated medical device that helped people finally understand how to properly use it - and is potentially saving lives.

You get the idea. Writers have a gift: we give life to the thoughts of our collective subconscious. We articulate humanity. Therefore any time you are writing, for any purpose, you are valuable. I'd rather know that right now my writing is helping the media change how they treat victims of violent crime than collecting dust in a publisher's office because (for whichever of many valid reasons, of which bad writing may not be one) it didn't sell well. And by the way:  technical writing pays the bills. Pretty well, actually.  

So just write. Use your talent and credit will follow. Creativity? Anyone can start from scratch and write a story (well maybe not a decent story...). But not everyone can make colonoscopy equipment sound inviting. Now that's creative talent.


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