Why Passion is a Plus in Technical Writing

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One doesn't have to be hyper-passionate about technical writing to achieve acceptable skills in this area. However, the most successful and effective technical writers I have met in my career have been those with plentiful passion.

It's not easy to discuss passion. How do we measure it? What are the metrics? What is the relationship between passion and inspiration? Personally, I think the venn diagram of passion overlaps not only inspiration (which is basically a catalyst), but also obsession.

The most successful and effective technical writers I have met in my career have been those with passion.

Obsession is obviously one of those elements of one's career where moderation is key. Too much obsession and one will begin pursuing non-optimal opportunities or get into a zone where it's just too much and becomes counterproductive. Excessive obsession can lead to a life imbalance in which friends, family, and beloved hobbies suffer and mental and physical health deteriorates.

Technical Writing: Love It or Leave It

There's no deep insight to the fact that we perform better at tasks and disciplines we enjoy. Take two technical writers. Give them the same IQ, same age, same experience, etc. But give one plentiful passion and the other zero passion.

Which do you predict will succeed in their career? Who do you think will produce higher quality tech writing deliverables, make more money, or advance the fastest? And here's a real clincher: Which would you rather hire?

One cannot fake or manufacture passion. You either love roller coasters or you don't.

The only problem here is that one cannot fake or manufacture passion. You either love roller coasters or you don't. Pretending to have passion is simply not a viable option—particularly when it's a job to which you give 50 or more hours per week of your precious time.

No passion for technical writing and documentation? Find something else. Why? Because there's enough technical writing experts who do have passion that those lacking passion are likely to fail. And fail miserably. It's a competitive world; Debbie Downer often finds herself with no seat at the table.

Find Your First Technical Writing Success

If you're a junior technical writer, it's essential that you achieve success on multiple projects to help you develop a passion for what you do. Personally, I could not be passionate about technical writing if I didn't perceive that I can successfully execute on document development projects, including fitting into a client's corporate culture and more nuanced elements of my work that benefit from passionate energy.

There's something about successful deliverables and projects that goes beyond ego padding. It tells us we're in the right place. Success begets success and helps us avoid imposter syndrome. It confirms and validates our work and careers—not just to ourselves, but also to everyone around us.

Technical Writing Passion = Energy

Being a successful tech writer in 2024 requires not only technical prowess, but also significant energy. Productivity is important; energy-deficient staffers are typically subpar. Being one of the best (and best paid) technical writers on the market isn't easy. In my opinion, if you want to be successful, make good money, and achieve discernable progress in your technical writing career, passion and plentiful energy are essential elements.

What Do You Think?

But that's just my opinion. What do you think? How do you believe your passion for technical writing—or lack thereof—affects your success or failure? Let me know in the comments below. I welcome contrarian viewpoints and alternative analysis; it's how we all learn.

— Curt Robbins, Senior Technical Writer

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