Reply #17: Here's my story

[supernova]

I was a contract technical writer starting in 1999.

I have been laid off three times during this decade so far including now for the past couple of months.. :grr: :grr: Yes, it's tiring, dispiriting, and downright awful. Everyday I get up and fight the urge to give in to despair. I really would love to have someone who could provide encouragement and let me know that I'm not crazy, nor unuseful and untalented. But it is really, really hard doing it alone. :scared:

While I enjoy technical writing, and I am very good at it, like you crispini, I am one of the few in my area in my field who does it well. At this point, I'm in my mid 40s and I am very anxious to get away from contracting. It's way too cutthroat and capricious, and is disconnected from your performance. You could be "employee of the month" one month and still be laid off the next. (this is not to far from what happened to me once.)

My choices are:

* to find something safe and dependable, like I dunno nursing or something, but I don't have the science or math skills to do nursing. Though I was trained as a teacher, I am a lousy teacher. That door is closed.

* Try to start up my own writing business, with an emphasis on technical writing. Maybe get enough technical jobs to support more creative endeavors. (This is the most attractive to me, but it is again, very iffy and there is no back up for me. I'm alone.)

* I am up for a job at a state medical association. They need a database admin to keep track of their board exam questions. This would be a good place to ride out this (d)(r)recession and replenish my savings. The competition is fierce though. The recruiter told me they got a much bigger response than they anticipated. :-(

* Lurking in the background all this time has been a desire to go back to school and get my Masters. Not really because I expect it to enhance my earning power, but because I really want it. I would love to get my M.A. at Duke, just like my Mom got her B.A. there. I would love to see our diplomas hanging side by side on the wall. But the lay offs have put off big plans of mine like that.

Sometimes, I just want a hug. :-(