First Steps#

It had been a couple of years since I graduated from a state linguistics university with a diploma in consecutive interpreting and technical translation, with English as my major, and started my career path right in the field of my specialization.

Like with all the things I do, I started thoroughly and enthusiastically. I excelled in translation work — ran through innumerable pages (I could probably count those in kilos rather than pages) like a hot knife through butter — contracts, customs documentation, occupational safety regulations, proprietary manuals on heavy equipment operation and process technology, and whatnot.

I performed reliably in grueling marathon negotiations between C-level company management and government authorities. I became the main point of contact at the intersection of the company management, architecture and engineering organizations, plant construction teams, logistics partners, and government authorities.

Adrenaline Rush#

Looking over the first couple of paragraphs, I feel like it might sound overconfident. So, to laugh it off, I’m sharing the real adrenaline rush behind the scenes in my first-ever live interpreting session.

The only youngster in the room with the company management and government authorities having negotiations. Stern and skeptical looks going my direction. Accelerated heartbeat, trembling inside, the knot of pain in the gut, on the verge of panic attack, hair standing on end, looking ferociously intense. Trying to control my breathing. Mere seconds before the start.

And then the sudden click right as the first words were spoken — time slows down, background noise ceases to exist, no feelings manifest in the field of perception, just plain focus. The words land clearly onto the surface of your consciousness, immediately processed, linked to the required counterparts, connected with the right meaning, and spoken through you effortlessly.

You find yourself engulfed in the flow, observing the counterparts find the right meaning through you and it seems that you have no volition of your own — you’ve become an instrument of the flow. You just keep focusing your attention on the fascinating barrage of interlinked meaning that’s coming through you.

And finally — bam — the deal’s cut, hands shaken (even yours), laughs shared, and those critical looks from both parties replaced with respect and approval of your skills.

The Longing for Knowledge#

I grew tremendously as a professional. But I started to feel that something was missing — this flow of events, though deep in scope and action, soon became shallow waters for me. The flow of new information ceased — I got this feeling crawling under my skin that I was running over and over the same circle — and finally I realized that I desperately needed to expand the horizons, I became fully aware that I longed for new knowledge.

I didn’t yet know which direction to move to, but as soon as I admitted to myself a strong need for professional transition, the chance knocked on my door — I received a phone call from my first company’s HR (they found my Resume somewhere on the Internet) with the invitation to try my luck in Tech Writing as by a happy coincidence they had this very position open.

New Horizons#

Back then, the words “Technical Writing” for me were just a distant tiny dot on the horizon, to hell with that — the whole IT industry was just a peculiar abstraction for me at that time. But something clicked inside instantly, I didn’t hesitate at all, and said that I’d be happy to try. After I did a proper research on the path laid in front of me, I had no doubts that it was exactly the transition I was looking for.

With the initial career school that I got through, I felt quite confident — I had plenty of invaluable experience in the art of communication, the ability to express my thoughts clearly, to gather relevant information, to prepare meticulously, and to withstand the grueling marathon negotiations without losing focus.

I was sure that having that base and the longing for new knowledge, I could reach anything, so I seized the chance and after one test assignment and a team interview I found a new profession — the one that never ceases to expand its horizons and brings me lots of joy.

Amen.

Somewhere I Belong#

Fast-forward to nowadays…

It took me a decent number of years to become fully aware that I truly love the work that I do, that I have not only joined but utterly belong to the path that I once said “Yes” to many years ago. For me, Tech Writing has become the ultimate playground where all the strings of life that I cherish have intertwined and manifested themselves fully as an integral part of my profession.

What are those strings that I’m talking about? Oh, that’s an easy one, here they come:

  • From my interpreter/translator era, I bring along the search for depth, the larger context behind everything, the fascination with the real meaning, the magic of reading between written lines and spoken words, and the art of unpacking the truth and transferring it into the right words.

  • From my motorcycle life, I bring along the desire to roll up my sleeves and find out head-on how things really work under the hood. It taught me to have fun inspecting and understanding the tech that gets things going. It helped me find a balance between the chase for excellence and the particular scope of application. And in lots of ways my experience with motorcycles has shown me that you can breathe life into something inanimate and fall in love with your creation.

  • From my journey in martial arts, I bring along the discipline, strategic thinking, and efficiency, the ability to continue moving forward firmly and steadily under pressure, to take hard shots and manage stress with a poker face and steady heartbeat, the capacity for sober assessment of strengths and weaknesses, the willingness to take bold action, and the ability to flow freely with the current circumstances.

  • From the ever-expanding landscape of technology, I have the means to plug into the constant source of new knowledge and inspiration, to broaden my horizons, and to keep my work fresh and exciting. The tech industry is a dynamic and rapidly evolving field, and being a Tech Writer allows me to stay at the forefront of innovation and to share that knowledge with others.

And the vital binding force that connects all those parts of my life is the joy of writing — the joy of creating meaning out of chaos, of expressing my true self, of sharing my thoughts and ideas with others, and resonating with them through the power of language.

The joy of writing is what keeps me going, what motivates me to learn and improve, and what makes my work as a Tech Writer so fulfilling and rewarding.