---
title: "New post in Simplifying Complexity series – Principle 11: Be both a generalist and specialist at the same time"
date: 2018-11-30
description: "Listen here:       <img src="
canonical_url: https://idratherbewriting.com/2018/11/30/trends-generalist-specialist-topic-in-simplifying-complexity-series/
---
# New post in Simplifying Complexity series – Principle 11: Be both a generalist and specialist at the same time
> In my Simplifying Complexity series, I added a new post called, Principle 11: Be both a generalist and specialist at the same time. I also recorded this essay as a narrated podcast.

**Listen here:**

[![](https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/idbwmedia.com/images/apple_podcasts.png)](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id-rather-be-writing-podcast/id277365275)

[![](https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/idbwmedia.com/images/watchonyoutubeblack.png)](https://www.youtube.com/@idratherbewriting)

[![](https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/idbwmedia.com/images/spotify.png)](https://open.spotify.com/show/4HeOZfPGMMfViOhVS40QBD)

You can read the essay here: [Principle 11: Be both a generalist and specialist at the same time](/simplifying-complexity/both-a-generalist-and-specialist-at-same-time.html).

How exactly does the topic of being a generalist or specialist tie in with simplifying complexity? Here’s an excerpt:

> Do technical writers, who are typically only familiar with the subjects we write about, need to become engineer-like specialists, focusing in on a couple of domains in depth, so that we can write, edit, and publish more knowledgeably in these domains? Is specialization the only way to handle complexity? Will I need to become a specialist to survive as a technical writer in the future?

Note that this content has undergone multiple iterations:

 - [First version](/2018/10/02/providing-value-as-generalists-in-specialist-contexts-part-1/)

 - [Second version](/2018/10/09/tech-comm-trends-more-collaboration-with-engineers/)

 - [Third version](/simplifying-complexity/both-a-generalist-and-specialist-at-same-time.html)

In this third version, I expanded the research in places, provided better organization in my analysis, and tried to integrate some more personal stories in places. I also narrated it as a podcast. Overall, this still remains a challenging topic, and the length of the article probably shows.