Wearing two hats

I like hats. I just bought a brand new Pitt one actually. But that really has little relevance right now.

You should all know that I am a sportswriter for a small monthly sports paper by now. And, if by chance you are a regular reader of this blog (hi mom), then you would know that I also have a full-time job that pays all the bills that come with living at home.

But I don't think I ever actually mentioned what my job is - a technical writer. I'm just starting my third month on the job, and coming from a journalism background, some parts take a while to get used to. Like wearing a tie and showering daily. But I digress...

Sports journalism is different then regular journalism. It's less formal and you can get away with a slight dose of opinion.

Technical writing is even more formal than regular journalism, and if any opinion of mine would ever make it into a document, I might wind up naked somewhere in a ditch.

And that is where the two hats come in. I have to know when to put on my sports writer hat, and when to put on the tech writer hat. It can get confusing. I would like to think that I know (somewhat) what I am talking about in the sports world. However, I may never know what I am talking about when it comes to editing an engineers' paper on geological formations.

But you know, I'm fine with that. It is important as a writer to keep at your craft. That's why when I would go to a Pitt basketball game in the press box, I would also go to the press conferences after and write a post-game story even though I didn't have an assignment. I would take notes and act as if I had a deadline. It is good practice that I suggest anyone interested in the field should do.

But whether it be a basketball game or a geology paper, it doesn't matter. As long as you keep writing and working on your craft.

During my lunch break tomorrow I have an over-the-phone interview scheduled with a Pirate executive. After that I go right back to being a tech writer before heading home to write up the article I'm working on.

While it may be difficult wearing two different hats, it still beats the hell out of wearing a fast food visor.