Brainstorming

[syredronning]

I've given a lot of thoughts to my future lately, with the special focus on business/new fields of knowledge/personal development.

Lately, there was a great article about a personal trainer who used a mix of hypnosis and dream voyage to find your deepest inner goals, but unfortunately, she's much too expensive for me ;)

Therefore, I ask you, my knowledgable friendslist...considering what you know of me, do you have a suggestion for me? Might be something I already pondered, and which you think would be something good, or just as well a field I might never have thought of. Whatever's coming to your mind in relation to me, I'd love to read your input.

Comments

[epistrophia.livejournal.com]

I don't think I know enough about what you do workwise to make any constructive suggestions, but I do understand. After all, I've gone back to school (well, university) in order to change my career path.

Are you looking to do something a bit similar, or something completely different?

[syredronning.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure. Guess I should just get better in all those many fields I'm constantly touching somehow.

My entry was a try - not sure what answers I was hoping for, so the number of no answers (besides yours) is a logical consequence... :))

[epistrophia.livejournal.com]

Well I suppose I only really know my area, if you know what I mean, and I don't know (and probably won't understand) what you do for a living, since it seems to involve programming languages and they hurt my brain!

I wish I could be more helpful...

[syredronning.livejournal.com]

What is your area?

Mine is technical writing, but I'm often only describing user interfaces :) Not terribly close to programming.

[(Anonymous)]

Well, my old area was office management, but my new area is library and information science.

So do you write tech manuals to ISO or European specifications?

I've been looking at institutional repositories lately - they're a big growth area in the UK, and probably everywhere else, at the moment. I'm not sure whether that would really link in to what you do, although from what I've heard it's enthusiasm more than specific experience that counts.

It's so difficult to change direction, even a little, I think. I do admire people who seem to do it so easily.

[epistrophia.livejournal.com]

Hm. Sorry about that!

[epistrophia.livejournal.com]

Well, my old area was office management, but my new area is library and information science.

So do you write tech manuals to ISO or European specifications?

I've been looking at institutional repositories lately - they're a big growth area in the UK, and probably everywhere else, at the moment. I'm not sure whether that would really link in to what you do, although from what I've heard it's enthusiasm more than specific experience that counts.

It's so difficult to change direction, even a little, I think. I do admire people who seem to do it so easily.

[syredronning.livejournal.com]

I had to look up "institutional repositories" because I had never heard of it. Sounds interesting, but not like something for me. As a single freelancer I'm working on much smaller systems (and decided not to venture into bigger business). And I'm not big in writing according to ISO specifications. It's not really necessary when you document software.

I actually changed direction once already, right from the university (with a dr. in chemistry) into the field of technical writing. Never aquired a formal degree in it, but making a living since 1999. Translations and English seeped into it over time.

The problem with working without formal qualification are less the customers (obviously they believe in me) but my own ego which can be fragile at times, wondering if my work results are good. Most of my customers would say yes, but I'd like to have a real certificate in SOME field, I think. Guess that's what it's all about. It will be either some official degree in English or maybe programming etc from some online institution.

*ponders* I don't want to change direction completely, but I feel I should broaden my spectrum a little. Or at least my brain wants me to move a bit forward and do something more than just writing fanfic :)

Thanks for this exchange, it's yielding fruits here!

[epistrophia.livejournal.com]

Glad it's helping a bit!

Thinking about expanding your horizons is a very exciting thing. I suppose that you do have the advantage of working from home, at least at the moment, so you could easily start a home study course. I don't know whether there is a version of the Open University in Germany (although actually, I've just looked it up and of course you can study with the OU itself).

If I was bilingual (which I'm working on, but slowly...) I'd be interested in going into translation, but I would imagine that it's a massively over-subscribed area, like proof-reading is. (I have a qualification in proofreading but the odds of getting work unless it's in a specialised subject are very slim. Maybe once I have a degree in Information Science I can do some proofing on the side!)

[syredronning.livejournal.com]

Yes, translating&proof-reading are crowded areas. However, I offer those things only in combination with technical documentation, where it makes more sense and gives more money :)