A Word Engineer
I'm an engineer. I love to create and design things. I like to help people.
So why am I writing?
Because I'm creative, and words are a different creative outlet in which I can engineer a whole new world.
Therefore, I like to call myself a Word Engineer (not really - I've never told anyone that).
Going through engineering school was one of the hardest things I've ever done. But it was well worth it. Why? Because engineering teaches you how to think. Sure, you learn a lot of equations that you may never use ever again, but what you will remember is the process - how your mind came up with that answer and what you had to do to get there.
This works very well for writing. Sounds strange, I know. But trust me.
People have asked me if writing is a nice creative outlet for me when I get home from work. The answer is actually a big fat no, because I am creative all day long as an engineer. I design products and have to be creative to be good at my job. So when I come home to write, the creative brain never switches off. It's on constantly. Sometimes I burn out, but if there was a world my mind had to be stuck in, it would be the creative one.
Oddly, writing and engineering are very similar. The more I write, the more I see the truth of this. When you write, you set up a world with certain "rules". And sometimes, those rules create a plot problem that you have no idea how to solve. There you go: problem solving.
A writer is just another problem solver out in the world.
As I said above, engineering teaches you how to think - no doubt that is what any faculty at any engineering school will tell you (the good ones, at least). And it's absolutely true. I have no doubt that my engineering training has aided in my ability to creatively solve the problems my characters face in my MS.
So what does this mean for you if you're not an engineer? It means that whatever your background, it will influence your writing style and how you write. Don't keep your role in your day job separate from your writing. Let it influence your writing in the unique way only your experiences can.
So why am I writing?
Because I'm creative, and words are a different creative outlet in which I can engineer a whole new world.
Therefore, I like to call myself a Word Engineer (not really - I've never told anyone that).
Going through engineering school was one of the hardest things I've ever done. But it was well worth it. Why? Because engineering teaches you how to think. Sure, you learn a lot of equations that you may never use ever again, but what you will remember is the process - how your mind came up with that answer and what you had to do to get there.
This works very well for writing. Sounds strange, I know. But trust me.
People have asked me if writing is a nice creative outlet for me when I get home from work. The answer is actually a big fat no, because I am creative all day long as an engineer. I design products and have to be creative to be good at my job. So when I come home to write, the creative brain never switches off. It's on constantly. Sometimes I burn out, but if there was a world my mind had to be stuck in, it would be the creative one.
Oddly, writing and engineering are very similar. The more I write, the more I see the truth of this. When you write, you set up a world with certain "rules". And sometimes, those rules create a plot problem that you have no idea how to solve. There you go: problem solving.
A writer is just another problem solver out in the world.
As I said above, engineering teaches you how to think - no doubt that is what any faculty at any engineering school will tell you (the good ones, at least). And it's absolutely true. I have no doubt that my engineering training has aided in my ability to creatively solve the problems my characters face in my MS.
So what does this mean for you if you're not an engineer? It means that whatever your background, it will influence your writing style and how you write. Don't keep your role in your day job separate from your writing. Let it influence your writing in the unique way only your experiences can.
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