Can Technical Writing Really Ever be "Fun"?

Really?

I put in a request to teach my first-ever Technical Writing course in the Fall, as our DGS indicated that past graduates have found the experience to be something that was valued once they hit the job market. Since I'm going on the market in the Fall, I thought this would be perfect timing to teach the course, but I'm now somewhat dreading the unknown. When I initially (way back as an undergraduate) switched to an English major, I thought I wanted to be a tech writer when I grew up. After talking with my tech writer uncle, however, I was quickly bored to tears and running for the nearest exit --- agghhh! I still don't know how he does his job...Anywho, the way I understand it is that technical writing is a course students try to get some benefit from in the sense that they develop things like job portfolios, business design-y things, etc. I also get the impression that our department has the materials available to enable instructors to follow a standard cookie-cutter tech writing course, complete with the textbook, assignments, evaluation rubrics, etc. if one chooses this route....Yawn....I'm bored already.

So I ask you: Is technical writing a course that can't help but be boring? Is there anything an instructor can do - short of a song & dance/stand-up comedy routine - to make the coursework and projects interesting (dare I say fun)? If you've taught tech writing before, what kinds of things did your students enjoy? Or, is this one of those situations where I just have to suck it up and be bored for a semester?

Tips for the Teacher

Almost every semester, when I teach my Intro to Literature course, I find myself really drawn to Ralph Ellison's short story "Battle Royal." So, I assign it for my students to read, usually connecting it to their reading about symbols (literary, conventional, etc.). The problem is that I don't ever seem to know what to say about the story when we discuss it in class. It's almost like the story is too "heavy." Like it needs time to breathe or something. I usually manage just fine by giving students the agency to take the class discussion in whatever direction they choose, and we always read more than one story, but I don't feel like I'm "doing" anything effective with "Battle Royal." I'm certainly not doing it justice. For whatever reason, I have this weird feeling like I'm missing something important about how to teach this story. And because of this, I ask you - the few readers I have - what do you do if/when you discuss this story with students?