Writer's Block

Few children dream of becoming a technical writer. In fact, many technical writers land in the profession quite by accident. Such was the experience of the author of our feature story, a former academic who was faced with the market realities of the 1990s, and the author of our technology column, an English major, and former medical lab assistant and secretary. All of us at Writer's Block wish you a happy new year.

	Ivory Tower or Real World? A former academic describes his eye-opening transition from a career in academia to the fast-paced world of technical writing.
	Understanding Writer's Block: A Therapist's Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment A writer's perspective on a new book that aims to educate psychiatrists about writer's block and how to treat it.
	He Writes... He Scores! Origins Guy tries to educate a sports fan on the finer points of sports talk.
	Just Rewards A poem by David G. Upham, Sr.
	The Birds and the Bees
	My Life with the Machine The next time your personal computer crashes, take heart — you're not alone. A poignant essay that reflects on our lives with "the machine."