Like versus Love
There is this thing about loving your job and then LOVING your job. I spend over 8 hours a day pining away at a day job. That day job is a combination of technical writing, marketing, and creating help systems in the form of videos, web pages, and well anything that works to convey technical information to the masses. Sound fun doesn't it?
Well, it is to some people like me. And it is. I like my job. A lot. I work long hours and get done what I have to get done. Sometimes with a bunch of flair and attitude. And other times, just enough to scrape by and move on to the next project. All of which has done me well in my career as a technical writer.
But (and you know one was coming) if you asked me if I loved my job, I can't say yes. Sure I put in extra long hours, go above and beyond the call of duty, and routinely subject myself to more work than humanly possible (all of which gives the impression of a more-than-a-like-my-job-status)--but I am far from LOVING that work.
Really. There's a lot more to it than the projects. What about the 7am conference calls (or even 9pm ones)? What about the day off coordination with other team members? Or performance evaluations/reviews? And hell, I have to look presentable every day I run myself ragged getting my butt to the office? As much as I might seem to enjoy those things--let me be the first to tell you, I am far (far) from it. And since that encompasses my job, it takes the love factor completely out of the picture.
Which brings me to what would be an ideal job. Would it be my novel writing (if I could miraculously make a living doing it)? Maybe a little closer. I'd still have deadlines. And I'd likely still have calls to take and make. Would they be at 7am? Probably not so much. But I'd still be at publishing (as an industry's) whim. I'd still have to produce regularly. And I'd still have to--on occasion--do all those things I don't like so much (and maybe other things I might not like either but not know about).
Am I discrediting writing as the dream profession? Hell no. I wouldn't spend my non day-job hours doing it if I didn't think it would get me just that little bit closer to the LOVE job. But don't snicker at me when the realist jumps to the forefront and reminds the rest of the world the writing isn't as glamorous as it seems. Have you ever tried to completely overhaul (and rewrite) a novel a few times? It definitely wakes you up to what is (and is not) the glamour of writing. And hell, I like what I do. Both during the day and night jobs.
And don't give me hell when I keep griping. I plan on working until I do find the job I love.
Let's just hope that dream Love Job let's me quit the other night time gig too.
Well, it is to some people like me. And it is. I like my job. A lot. I work long hours and get done what I have to get done. Sometimes with a bunch of flair and attitude. And other times, just enough to scrape by and move on to the next project. All of which has done me well in my career as a technical writer.
But (and you know one was coming) if you asked me if I loved my job, I can't say yes. Sure I put in extra long hours, go above and beyond the call of duty, and routinely subject myself to more work than humanly possible (all of which gives the impression of a more-than-a-like-my-job-status)--but I am far from LOVING that work.
Really. There's a lot more to it than the projects. What about the 7am conference calls (or even 9pm ones)? What about the day off coordination with other team members? Or performance evaluations/reviews? And hell, I have to look presentable every day I run myself ragged getting my butt to the office? As much as I might seem to enjoy those things--let me be the first to tell you, I am far (far) from it. And since that encompasses my job, it takes the love factor completely out of the picture.
Which brings me to what would be an ideal job. Would it be my novel writing (if I could miraculously make a living doing it)? Maybe a little closer. I'd still have deadlines. And I'd likely still have calls to take and make. Would they be at 7am? Probably not so much. But I'd still be at publishing (as an industry's) whim. I'd still have to produce regularly. And I'd still have to--on occasion--do all those things I don't like so much (and maybe other things I might not like either but not know about).
Am I discrediting writing as the dream profession? Hell no. I wouldn't spend my non day-job hours doing it if I didn't think it would get me just that little bit closer to the LOVE job. But don't snicker at me when the realist jumps to the forefront and reminds the rest of the world the writing isn't as glamorous as it seems. Have you ever tried to completely overhaul (and rewrite) a novel a few times? It definitely wakes you up to what is (and is not) the glamour of writing. And hell, I like what I do. Both during the day and night jobs.
And don't give me hell when I keep griping. I plan on working until I do find the job I love.
Let's just hope that dream Love Job let's me quit the other night time gig too.
Labels: writing life
