Sue and Bill asked to hear from a non-leadership person, so I decided to bite. I've been a member on and off for a number of years, but I have never run for an office or gotten too heavily involved in how STC runs. The years that I wasn't a member, it was a matter of not having an employer who would pay for it and not having the funds to do it myself that year. Had eating and having a place to live not been so high on my priority list, I would have been a member those years as well. :-)
What do I get out of STC, and is it worth the money paid in membership dues? I like to enter some of my work in the STC competitions for the feedback that I get. My work has improved tremendously because of the input that I've received over the years. I've even won a few awards, which made me feel pretty good and got my engineering coworkers to take notice of manuals that they had traditionally ignored. After they got over the initial surprise that there was a professional organization for technical writers, they realized that we are PROFESSIONALS and started treating us as if we were just a different type of engineer. If that's all I got out of STC, I'd still consider it a good thing. I also have the people in the STC Chicago chapter. I enjoy being in the company of pretty much everyone who I have met, and I feel that I can turn to quite a few people in a time of need. Most of those people have worked for the same companies that I have or have been in similar situations as technical communicators, so they can relate to me and what I've been through. That's a pretty good deal. I had not met most of these people before I joined STC, and I probably never would have met them had I not joined. And I even have online relationships at a high level with several people who are officers at the national level. If I had a technical communication problem that had national or international implications, they would be some of the people who I would turn to first. I also appreciate the efforts that they make on behalf of our profession. Most people in the blue-collar world know now that we are more than glorified typists, and STC had a hand in changing that perception. I would reap the benefits of this even if I weren't a member, but I'm happy to contribute to it. And I have used the STC salary survey on more than one occasion. That alone is worth the cost of my membership. Regarding the publications, I read them when I have time. Some of it applies to me and some doesn't. But that's pretty much the same with any other publication that I receive. I read what interests me, and I skip what doesn't. Overall, I think the publications are pretty good and worth whatever the added charge is for them. I pay more for other publications that don't contain half the information. Those things, added together, make STC worth the membership fee to me. Whether or not some people have their interests above mine doesn't matter to me. I don't expect everyone to be looking out for me. STC is about furthering the cause of technical communication, not about pleasing Donna Jones, Technical Writer. STC, like most other things in life, is what you make of it. You can get a lot out of it if you want to, or you can get nothing out of it if you choose to. If things aren't as you like them and you can't change them, deal with it. Life isn't about everything adapting to you. It's about you adapting to what's around you. Even if you're not completely satisfied with the organization, ask yourself if there's anything you can do to help others like you within the existing structure. There's a lot of internal happiness to be found if you take the focus off of yourself. For some people who post here, I visualize them with a perpetual scowl as they're typing and even an occasional snarl or sneer. These people don't have many good things to say about anything, and they have a lot of complaints about nearly everything. From what they post, it appears that very little pleases them. My guess is that they own at least one item with "It's all about ME" or something similar written on it. I usually laugh at their scathing posts and then pity them for their miserable outlook. It must be terrible to be so unhappy that you can't say anything good. I think someone said something to this effect earlier, but it bears repeating. Look for the positive, and you'll find something positive. Look for the negative, and you'll find something negative. Which way is your time better spent? Donna - CONFIDENTIAL- This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential, and may also be legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, you may not review, use, copy, or distribute this message. If you receive this email in error, please notify the sender immediately by reply email and then delete this email. ______________________________________________ Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. 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