Perpetual Problem with Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda

When we look at back at something, let's be honest we all do this, and say I coulda have done this, or I woulda done this instead, or I shoulda done that, there's a problem if we let these thoughts go unchecked. The problem is we'll be stuck in a perpetual loop of regret.

Let's suppose we could go back in time and do X instead of Y. If we did X, then we'll say the same thing that I shoulda, coulda, or woulda done Z instead. Let's say you do Z, then we'll say same about A and B and so on.  But it's not just an neverending chain of things of we could have done. What about the neverending chain of events that would have been affected from the things we didn't do because we choose the alternative path?

Let's say we were able to do Y instead of X. How would it affect the world surrounding X if we didn't do X or maybe it would have affect W? 

It's maddening to think about it. So it's maddening to be stuck in a perpetual loop of woulda, coulda, shoulda.

Don't get me wrong. Reflecting on the past is good because it can help us learn from our past mistakes, grow from it, and help us move forward successfully. But if we're not careful, we end up dwelling on the past and fall into trap of endless rumination and perseveration. 

This is true with life, careers, and even documentation.

When we create documentation, though there should be fundamental questions to ask before you start, there are different ways to approach it. Different circumstances require different approaches. In those moments, sometimes, we just don't come at it the best way. I know I haven't many times throughout my career as a technical writer. There are times where I overlook something or didn't document the features as clear as I should have, especially when my knowledge was limited on a subject, or I didn't ask the SME the right questions, or both.

But rather than beating myself up in a loop of woulda, coulda, shoulda, I try to reflect on it and move on. Yes, it's hard to not go back and think I could have done something better. But if I did, it wouldn't be the documentation that it is. And if I could go back, I would probably make the content worse in some ways because of whatever unforseen factors. 

The fundamental flaw with wishing to time travel is we assume we're going to make it better. How do know if we will improve the past? What if we make it worse if we didn't let history play out as it did? What lessons would we fail to learn?

I'm not much of a fan of time travelling stuff or even some alternate history because of this flawed thinking. But I do enjoy the JRPG "Chrono Trigger" and liked PKD's novel "The Man in the High Castle" and still have a couple of Harry Turtledove's novels to read. Beyond that, I have no interest. 

Of course, I'm assuming the worst but it's the flip side of assuming the best. In either case, they're unproven assumptions, so it's fruitless to dwell on woulda, coulda, or shoulda.  The movie "It's a Wonderful Life" shows the downside of this kind of thinking when taken to its extreme. Though it's become cliché, the message is still powerful there. Besides, clichés wouldn't exist if they weren't effective with our psyche. 

The past is there to learn from, even with documentation, so we can move forward into the future. To yearn that we wish we could somehow change the past is a waste of one of the most precious gifts that God has given us: life and time. It will eat away at your soul if you do, where you can't see what's in front of you.

Unlike real life, the beauty of documentation is it can be changed. We can improve it by learning from our past mistakes and continue to improve it in the future.

So rather than pining away about the past or fretting about a future we can't control, let's focus on living in the present. Let's take each day and document at a time. I'm not saying this from a high holy horse. I'm telling myself this as well. I struggle with living in the present but I want to. Let's heed what Jesus said about this. For if we do, we'll have peace and know how to move forward, regardless of our circumstances, even if they're crappy right now.

Matthew 6:25-34 KJV

[25] Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? [26] Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? [27] Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? [28] And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: [29] and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. [30] Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? [31] Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? [32] (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. [33] But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. [34] Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Without growth and conflict, there's no story, even for technical writers

They say without conflict or growth in a character, there's no story. But why? Is this some tired trope or does it apply in real life? Well, let's walk this through. Is there a story when you're just going through your daily routine or when you're having choose between two great job offers? Is there a story when you're ready to get married but an old flame, whom you loved dearly, showed up? What makes even more interesting the reason for your breakup was a simple misunderstanding. Stories aren't just in the realm of fiction. Stories happen all the time in the real world! Why do some people read biographies, autobiographies, memoirs or historical accounts? They deem them to be worthy stories to read. 

Even the Bible, though I fully believe it's God's Word, has elements of story. Here are a few examples: 

• When God tested Abraham and told him to sacrifice his Isaac in Genesis 22. (Thankfully, there was a happy ending to this.)
• The story of Joseph and his brothers in Genesis 37-50.
• Joseph (different one) found out that Mary, who we was engaged to was pregnant and he wanted to divorce her quietly in Matthew 1:18-25. But he was informed that baby was the Promised Messiah, Jesus.
• When Jesus knew His death was near, He ask God, His Father, for Him not to go through it in Matthew 26:36-45, Mark 14:32-42, and Luke 22:39-46.

As conflict and growth of characters are essentials to crafting a good story, I believe these same elements are essential what makes us become better technical writers. How? Well, here are a few examples.

Let's say you're dealing with a difficult SME and you need to deliver some documentation by the next release, which is around the corner. This SME is hard to reach or gives little to no information on crucial parts for the information. So what do you do? Well, you either find a better way to reach this SME or find other key people who can help you get this information. To boot, you get this information at the last minute so you have little time to create quality documentation in the process right before release time.  Doesn't this sound more like a story than dealing with an easy SME, who gives you exactly what you need and when you need it to create the documentation and you're done way before it's time?

To be frank, I like it when there's no drama and I'm able to get everything I need to create a document without issues. I suppose I could say the story is everything lined up exactly as planned. But that's somewhat of a rarity in our line of work. Eventually, this stops becoming a story and morphs into a routine. Where's the growth or conflict? I don't like any conflicts either, but we live in a broken world, so unavoidable. But brokenness births countless stories. This is my problem with those who looking for a "utopia" or demand constant perfection. If we got what many wanted, stories will cease. 

Since conflict is inevitable, it's about knowing about how to find good resolutions to them. That's another key element in what makes a story. Who wants to read a story, unless you're an Eeyore, where there's no satisfying ending. Even open endings can be satisfying, if they're good. 

I'll share a time where there was conflict, resolution, and growth that came from it.

My Story: Creation of a Style Guide

When I was working at a company, the SMEs would fight me and the other technical writer on how to write the documentation. The SMEs wanted to write in passive voice instead of active voice. They also wanted to write "the user" when it was a clear case of writing "you", which was their audience. But to be fair to them, in my zeal for clarity and style, I would in some cases inadvertently change the meaning of the content. (This could have been avoided if we were given access to test the software but that's another topic.) 

We constantly battled over which words and phrases were correct, instead of focusing on releasing the documentation with the software. This fight drained the SMEs and us. The head of the company had to mediate in this conflict. After hearing both sides, he suggested that we technical writers create a style guide. So me and the other technical writer went to work to create the style guide. We used different sources, such as "The Elements of Style", to help us craft our tone and voice for the documentation. 

After much discussion and iterations, we were able to create a style guide that would help direct us and the SMEs on how the documentation would sound. It wasn't perfect, for no style guide is, but it reduced the fights to nearly zero. Those who wanted to fight still, we would just refer them to the style guide and the directive we got from the head of the company about this. 

We both became better technical writers from this. Though at that time, I hated going through every bit of this. I look back and thank God that this happened. If it didn't, I wouldn't have grown as a technical writer.  I learned to better balance clarity and style, while retaining the original meaning of the SMEs intended. By having this balance, the intended audience will get clear and accurate information. This is not to say I've perfected this, but I constantly strive for this balance whenever I create documentation. I've also learned to ask better fundamental questions to better get this balance. And when possible, I ask for ways for me to test what I am writing about. Before this conflict, that wasn't on my mind. 

I have to constantly remind myself conflicts can bring growth. It's too easy to wish a life without problems. Let's resist this silly (quite frankly, unbiblical) thinking. Without conflicts, there's no story. Without story, there's no life. Without life, there's no world.

Clear Writing is Crucial to Using AI

This post is an addendum to a previous post. Though I'm still not afraid of AI, I've come to terms it will alter the landscape of what we do as technical writers. With the launch of Grok4, despite the controversy that surrounded it, this reaffirms AI isn't a passing fad. Those who think otherwise are living in a fantasy land. Unless there's some grand event that causes technology to cease, there's a mass rejection of AI, or even a bigger innovative leap, it isn't going away. But despite how powerful it is or how it will get, AI is still a tool and it's a tool that we need to master. So how do we do this as technical writers?  We focus on writing clearly. 

If or when we need to use AI to help us create documentation, we'll need to use AI prompts. In those prompts, it will be key to write clear and specific instructions. We can lay this out how we want the documentation to look. Of course, we will still need to writing the content itself or we should. Using AI isn't an excuse for us to shirk our duties as technical writers. If anyone does this, I'm absolutely against it. Documentation will always need human nuance to make it good. So we still need to do the hard work!

One of the nice things about using these AI prompts is that we can constantly refine our creation so it will eventually match what you're looking for. Or, it might even exceed our expectations. Of course, it can become a problem with when you're using a free version of the AI. Waiting another day after you past the message limit to clear isn't always ideal, especially if you need get documentation out for an impending release.

By focusing writing in clear, specific, and concise instructions in these prompts, it drives us back to the heart of the technical writing style. In a weird way, it takes us back to good ole technical writing.

Is it a possibility that AI will eventually make technical writing disappear? Don't know. Only God knows the future. I may have still concerns with AI but it's not going to take over, if we don't let it. What I do know is new opportunities will arise when old ones die. We no longer have milkmen but we do have refrigerator repair technicians. Just keep on writing. If you need to use AI, then make sure your voice and skillset still shines. I think I'm with this topic for now.

An Alternative Way of Explaining

In case you don't know, alternative text (alt-text) is text that describes images for the visually impaired.  As more people access and read electronic documents or online content, this isn't a nice to have. Alt-text has become somewhat essential. In some instances, especially when you're creating documentation for the government, alt-text might be required. So, technical writers must have this awareness of creating alternative text under their tool belt. 

How I became aware of using alt-text

My awareness of alt-text didn't come at once. It was gradual. Years ago, I worked with a colorblind graphic-designer on a short-term contract. He told me to change colors on some graphics in the documentation so those who were visually impaired would be able to see them better. This wasn't about alt-text per se but it got me on the road to try to open documentation to all people. 

Some time after, companies would ask me if I knew 508 compliance or knew how to write alt-text. At that time, I said I didn't but said documentation needs to be accessible to all.  Since I didn't have this knowledge, they'd pass me by. So, I looked into alt-text and 508 compliance standards. Eventually, I was blessed with a few short-term contracts where I was able to write accessibility text (synonym for alt-text) and use 508 compliance in documentation. So now, when possible, I write alt-text in documentation that I create. 

How to write alt-text and do tools support them

If you're unfamiliar with how to write alt-text, it might seem overwhelming at first. So here are some tip to write alt-text.  

• Put yourself in the shoes of those who are visually impaired. How you want someone to explain this to you if you couldn't see well or not at all. In other words, enacting The Golden Rule. If you follow The Golden Rule, you'll be able to write great alt-text.
• Write brief, succinct descriptions of the images you're describing. 
• Write 1-2 sentences for most cases. One sentence is optimal. The exceptions would be highly-detailed flowcharts, infographics, images, or screenshots. In those cases, you may write a few more brief sentences but I wouldn't go past that.   
• Don't start with intros "This image shows..." or "This is a picture of..." That's condescending. Just state what the image is. For example, if you have an image of a boy petting a German Shepherd. Just say "Boy pets German Shepherd."
• Don't write alt-text for decorative images. Only write alt-text for images that convey actual information.

But do tools allow for alt-text? Short answer is yes. Most tools out there have a way to easily put alt-text. If you need help, see the help documentation of the tool(s) you're using. (Some tools now automatically put in alt-text. But check your tools if they do that. Personally, I'd rather write alt-text instead of letting the tool do it for me.)  Now, if the tool you're using doesn't have an easy way to add alt-text, check for workarounds. 

Alt-text resources

To get more acquainted with writing alt-text, check out these links. The information in them will help you go a long way. These links have helped me whenever I need guidance on how to write alternative text. 

• Authoring Meaningful Alternative Text
• Write helpful Alt Text to describe images
• Examples of Alt Text
• WebAIM
  
• Alt Text: What to Write

Don't beat yourself up if you don't get alt-text principles right away. If we technical writers are honest, we're still learning on how to write good alt-text. Remember, it's not about you. It's about helping those who can't see well or can't see at all. If you're a visually impaired technical writer, we value your insights. We need your help on how better write alt-text. Like all forms of writing, crafting alt-text is a process and journey to become better at it. If you're brief, succinct, and you follow The Golden Rule, you're on the road to create crisp alt-text. If you continue to master the art of writing alt-text, you're capturing the essence of great writing. 

Why I'm Not Afraid of AI

AI. Artificial Intelligence. It's either met with excitement or with fear. In any case, it's been the conversation piece for many. My understanding of AI has grown since I've first wrote about it. But this post isn't so much about AI. (There are plenty of experts out there who can tell you all about it.) My post is focused on why I'm not afraid of AI.

Tentative Stance

Before I get into why I'm not afraid of AI, here's my tentative stance: Artificial Intelligence isn't some nefarious overlord or a cabal of overlords plotting to dominate or exterminate humanity but it's also not some passing techno-fad that'll vanish anytime soon. Think MiniDiscs.  If we think about it, Artificial Intelligence has already been with us for some time. Think spelling and grammar checkers or chess super computers.

Because of its seemingly endless potential, like the Internet, Artificial Intelligence continues to transform and help us find better ways to do things. But in the process, this might include making certain jobs obsolete. Sadly, this happens with every technological innovation. But only God knows the future, so AI's continued existence is yet to be determined. Since we're in the present, we need to face AI and know how to move forward with it.

AI and Writing

AI may be able to correct spelling, grammar, and write text. It might be able to produce huge tomes. But I don't think it'll take over documentation and make technical writers obsolete. I'm not afraid. Why? Documentation. Well, good documentation needs human nuance.

Human Nuance

What do I mean by human nuance? And why will AI never replace it? Human nuance is just discernment. It's been able to go beyond the surface and dive deep and note the differences. No matter how advance AI becomes, it won't fully know what to include or leave out in documentation. When it comes to writing, it can't do what Mark Twain said. Only a competent writer knows how to do this. Artificial Intelligence also won't fully know the audience, so its aim will be off when if it writes documentation. Algorithms can be helpful but they fall short. Only a technical writer or an SME, especially those who talk to their customers, truly know the audience. 

AI also won't fully know how to structure the information in documentation.

Good documentation goes way beyond well-crafted prose. (If that were true, AI could replace us technical writers. But that's not the only factor for good documentation.) What can make or break a document is how you order information. You need a logical or natural order to make a document flow. Let's not forget one more ingredient to documentation: creativity. There's always an element of creativity involved when designing documents, especially when it comes to its flow.

AI can't do any of this. Why? It's not human. We're humans and write for humans, not for machines. We write to humans to show them how to use a tool, software, or machine.

AI is just a Tool

AI is a tool. It doesn't matter how powerful it's becoming, it's still just a tool. This is no different than huge tractors or industrial drills. They're powerful and have allowed us to do far more than before they were created. But despite their power, they're useless if no one wields them. The same goes for AI. If no one uses it, then it'll just sit there. It doesn't matter how it advanced as it continues to evolve. It's just a tool–a useless one at that if no one uses it.

How ridiculous does it sounds to run away from hammers, screwdrivers, and power saws because we're afraid they're going to replace us. So why do some have this kind of fear with AI?

You can laugh and say I'm naive or I've drank the Kool-Aid (actually Flavor-Aid) of the technocrats who are pushing Artificial Intelligence. No! Quite the opposite! AI is overrated! It's powerful but it's just a tool! So, it has no power if no one uses it.

Rather than running scared, thinking it's some virtual, evil demon who seeks to master us, we should grab a hold of AI and make it submit to us to do what we need it to do! Rather than getting worried whether Artificial Intelligence will replace us technical writers, if the AI revolution continues, let's use it in our favor to augment our abilities to create good documentation.

Could AI cause a lot of harm and destruction? Yes! Absolutely! But so can cars and knives if they're wielded by very bad people. Since AI is just a tool, it matters how you use it. So, if someone misuses it, don't blame the tool. Blame the user! 

Also, letting AI run unchecked is a bad idea. That's like just leaving a wood chipper on! It shouldn't take much imagination to foresee how many problems can happen there. You don't leave tools on after you're done using them. But if they need to constantly run, we must have guardrails in place. Common sense should kick in here.

AI Depends On Us

AI is living on borrowed capital. That capital is us. It only has a semblance of forming thoughts and worldviews because it depends on the information, thoughts, and worldviews that we had before it existed. AI is incapable of forming anything outside of the human experience. If it's reluctant to die and fights to survive, as some have reported, this shows a very human nature. And how that nature come about? It came from us.

Let's play the worst case scenario 

What would happen if it becomes smart enough to try to dominate or worse try to kill us? That's a valid concern. But let's walk through this. Let's say AI succeeds in killing us off. AI will then have nowhere else to go. Its growth will stop. At very best, it may try to war against other Artificial Intelligence and either take them over or destroy them. And if there's only one AI on this planet, then it'll run itself into ground. It'll hit a dead end because there's no human interaction.

What if tries to go to other planets? It won't happen or it won't succeed. Will Artificial Intelligence build starships to reach the cosmos? If it can, will it desire to do so? Only human ambition, though sinful it can be, fuels that desire to best, expand, exploit, and take over everything. It may replicate this desire but why? There wouldn't be an incentive because AI will always despite, how advance it gets, will always be in a closed loop of itself. Why? AI's a tool! And if AI builds starships to seek expansion and colonization, well...good luck. It'll be stuck with just the technological information that humans possessed before it murdered them.

Human interaction is the lifeblood of AI. If AI kills us, it kills itself. 

Now let's say AI doesn't desire to kill humanity but enslaves because it knows it needs us to survive. People will eventually overthrow it directly or use fake, nonsensical information to sabotage all Artificial Intelligence. AI is not a god! AI is just a tool! Like all tools, especially ones that won't work properly or get out of hand, there's always a way to shut them down or get rid of them. Stop feeding it electricity will knock it out. Many humans, by nature, have a rebellious steak when put under the thumb of others. Throughout history, this has been a double-edged sword. Though sin has marred the humanity, especially with our long history of mass murder and destruction, it has been able to self-destruct tyranny. So how would this be any different?

Though I'm always suspicious of the power elites trying to create a one-world government, I know it'll fall apart. Egos. Factions. Selfishness. Corruption. Stupidity. The list is endless on why all forms of tyranny have an expiration date. God, who is the Only True Ruler over all, always has a way to destroy and sabotage all forms of evil, including a possible AI tyranny. It may come after a hard lesson for our stupidity. But God, King Jesus, always has a way to ensure that His will is done.

Let's play the not so worst case scenario

Now let's say AI takes over the digital world completely, including all jobs tech. Well...AI's reign won't last. If we abandon the digital world and go back to just living life in the physical world, especially without using anything high-tech, AI will run into a dead end and collapse completely. Chances are we wouldn't be aware of it because we would be doing what humanity has done for most of its history–engaging with each other and the rest of Creation in the real world.

Technical writers would probably exist in some fashion. We would go back to writing instructions and other technical documentation in print. Printing presses will still be here like they've been way before the digital world ever existed. If the digital world ever died, print would just go on. Wouldn't mind using a manual typewriter again if I had to.

The only way is for Artificial Intelligence to thrive and evolve is to have constant interaction with us. It needs our brains and information to think and form its thoughts and actions. AI depends on us, we don't depend on AI.

Those with Little Scruples

What about those who are immoral and want to use AI to impose some kind totalitarian control over others? That's a valid concern. We need to guard against those who wish to do so, speak out against them, and hold them accountable, whether it's governments or their corporate enablers. We must do everything possible to prevent this possible nightmare. But if it does happen, I'm optimistic that this tyranny, as all others before it, will self-destruct. I know Who's the True Sovereign and He'll bring it down. But let's bring this post back to documentation.

Folly on Display

What about companies that have no scruples by replacing technical writers with AI to write their documentation? Well, good luck. 

If we think the overall state of documentation is bad now, wait until Artificial Intelligence completely writes this without anyone checking the content. With confusing or unhelpful information in documentation, companies without scruples will run themselves into the ground. It'll be similar to what the Apostle Paul said to Timothy on the outcome of those who opposed Christ in the last days of their time. I love what Paul says to here:

"But they will proceed no further. For their folly will be evident to all men, as theirs also came to be." – 2 Timothy 3:9 World English Bible

This same kind of folly will be on display for others to see if companies are unscrupulous with using AI to completely create documentation.

Their Lack of Scruples May Create New Fields

Even if these companies succeed by having AI create all documentation, technical writing will morph into something new because of it. Their lack of scruples might lead to the creation of an abundance of new fields. Their outcome in their race for the bottom line will be similar to what happened to Joseph and his family. Look at what said to his brothers in Genesis 50:19-20:

"Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to save many people alive, as is happening today." – Genesis 50:19-20 World English Bible

So rather look at what companies might do with dread, let's look at their stupidity as a way to open up new avenues (and revenues) for us technical writers. Trust me. I don't like it if companies are willing to do this and it'll probably hurt. But I'm not going give these companies any more power than they deserve. I'll choose to adapt and change if this happens.

Possible Counter-Strategy

Now if it turns into a battle between human written documentation versus AI written, we can always come up with a labelling scheme to show the difference. I'm thinking along the lines of what the Organic and Non-GMO movements do with foods. We can put the label and let our audiences decide which quality of documentation is better. This might be good idea for other content creators, writers, and artists out there. But I think it's something we may need to think about this if it becomes a battle between human created material and AI driven content.

AI is a Powerful Tool but Ultimately Powerless

Artificial Intelligence has no power unless you give over it. Even if technical writing dies, I'll pivot and do something else. I trust God to provide because He rules over everything anyway. I may have had a long career in technical writing but it's not my life. I'm okay with whatever comes. In the meantime, I'll keep doing what I've been doing unless God says otherwise.  God didn't call us to live in fear. See what the Apostle Paul to Timothy here:

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." – 2 Timothy 1:7 King James Version

AI doesn't scare me regardless how powerful it gets. So don't be afraid of it either. Take it on and keep on writing.

Freedom in Obscurity

When I was a kid, my dad said something insightful while we're driving somewhere. He said it must be hard to be a famous actor or singer, like Elvis, because you can't go out in public just to get a hamburger. 

I didn't fully appreciate what he said until later in life. When I first set out to be a writer, I wanted to make a name for myself. But God had other plans. He has used technical writing to humble me. I hated this field at first because I wouldn't get a byline. But I've come to embrace this as a freedom. The freedom of obscurity.

Being famous is like a jail on all levels. The following isn't exhaustive but here are few reasons why I think fame is a trap:

• Too much pressure to perform
• Have to constantly care what others think
• Your life is utterly scrutinized
• You can lose yourself in the process
• You can get a big head
• You can forget why you love what you do
• Never enough

Too much pressure to perform 

Let's start with the too much pressure to perform. You have to constantly perform a certain expectation or exceed it to remain in the spotlight. If you don't, then the spotlight can fade away. Yikes!

Constantly care what others think 

Since someone gains a huge following, there's that constant reminder that you must care what others think. You have to match the persona that you built up in others' minds. You have to conform to your fans, agents, producers, sponsors, or whoever is involved in dictating your fame. 

Now there are some who are famous who say they don't care what others think. If that's true, then good. But when many say this, do they actually mean it? If they make their fans and others angry enough, they can lose their fame. Is that something they're willing to do?

Your life is utterly scrutinized 

When you're famous, your privacy goes out the window regardless what you do. Anything from how your parent your children to what you eat will get questioned or criticized. Who wants this constant nitpicking? How would the critics like it if the same standard were against them? Jesus's words are ever-poignant on this.  But it doesn't matter whether this is right. The fact remains that when you're famous are constantly scrutinized and practically dehumanized. This isn't just in the negative sense. You can be dehumanized if think that you're greatest thing since sliced bread. Your fame can turn you in an object to idolize. This leads to my next point.

Losing yourself in the process

With the constant pressures of pleasing others, you can lose yourself in the process. Rather than being yourself, you have to be the thing that others expect you to be. You may have the fame but you're no different than a puppet who performs by the whim of a marionette.  Jars of Clay have had something to say about that.

Getting a big head

This is an easy side-effect of becoming famous. The more famous you become, the easier it is to get a big head. You think you are best, baddest, biggest thing of all. But be careful! The Proverbs speak on what happens to those who are prideful. Besides, your fame wasn't completely self-made. You are at the beck and call of those who lifted up and keep you there. Getting a big head has a price.

Forgetting why you do what you love

Another thing that has falls by the wayside with being famous is forgetting why you set out to do what you love. You're more interesting in conforming the mold you've been placed in than remembering your first love about the thing you did in the first place. You may say platitudes to your original mission but is that still true? Or are you interesting just getting more money and fame?

Never Enough

This should be obvious to those seek fame but I don't think it is who are famous. It might be. But being famous will never be enough. There will be someone else who try to take the spotlight. If not, you must constantly perform, as I said earlier, to stay in the spotlight.

Grateful to be in obscurity

I'm not saying fame in itself is bad. But the pitfalls aren't worth it to me. But if you're famous, then great. Stay humble and seek the Lord is all I can tell you. 

I thank God that he put me in technical writing. Obscurity is built-into the career. I'm free to speak and write without worrying too much what others have to say. My goal is to make sure that I document things accurately and in a way others can easily understand.

I'm also grateful that my novel wasn't a bestseller. I can imagine in that. I prefer to be an obscure writer. I would love to write more novels but that's not my focus. My focus isn't even on this blog. My focus is on technical writing unless God calls me to do something. 

Finally, I'm grateful that this blog doesn't get much traffic because I'm free to write anything I want here. What's the worse that happens? You don't like what I wrote. That's fine. You don't have to. You can close the page and move on. 

I'm truly grateful that I live in the freedom of obscurity.

No Hesitations or Regrets...Well

Write without hesitations or regrets, even if the writing sucked. Well...I wouldn't take this statement to the extreme. There are times when we should be prudent about what we write and reflect on it before moving forward to the next project. But don't slam on the brakes in hesitation and constantly look back in regret either. Have a balance. 

Writing is never about perfection. Writing is about using a creative process to make progress. When you write, it's a constant learning experience. The more you write, the better you get. So there's no need to live in hesitation or regret. If someone hates your stuff, even if it's valid, all you can do is nod, shrug, and say I did the best I could at the time.  I've found this to be true with technical documentation, especially in the software/API realm, where constant changes are the norm, even after publishing. I had people who quite frankly didn't like how I wrote something. Okay. Whatever. Everyone is a critic.

Of course, this isn't an excuse to be blasé either. There's also no shame in admitting you were wrong, even if you genuinely believed you were right when you wrote something. Only you can answer that. No one else should force you to say so. You should also be humble enough to take constructive criticism and feedback. This is another way to get better.

Having this balanced mentality will help you to move forward as a writer.