Do You Have What It Takes To Be A Technical Writer?
It's a great opportunity for writers who love tech and problem solving. Oh and it pays well too!
When I graduated from college with my newly minted Comparative Literature Degree in hand, I had lofty dreams of finding a job as a reporter or an editor at a national magazine.
Not surprisingly, I found the road to creative writing jobs a bumpy ride. With no experience, I had lots of doors slammed in my face.
But fortunately, I found an open door when I accidentally stumbled onto a career I never imagined, thanks to my dad. He was a retired Navy Senior Chief and worked for the government as an engineer and told me I should think about becoming a Technical Editor.
He put me in touch with a buddy of his at an engineering firm and voila, I was on my way. The job didn’t pay much at the start, but it helped me learn the skills I needed to become a top notch Technical Writer.
And I’ve used that skill to open the doors to many opportunities and make an excellent living over the years.
Unlike a lot of creative writing fields, Technical Writing jobs currently pay anywhere from $65,000 to $120,000 based on your experience and you can work part-time, full-time or remote. Do I have your attention now?
So how do you get started as a Technical Writer?
#1 — Skills you need on the job to survive and thrive.
Degree in English, communications or journalism.
Top notch writing, editing and grammar skills to write clear, concise and well-organized documents.
Savvy computer skills and a love of technology.
Attention to detail.
Willingness to learn new things and step out of your comfort zone.
Problem solving and figuring out how things work.
Interviewing technical experts to mine their knowledge.
Experience with writing tools such as Google Docs, Word, and PowerPoint.
#2 — A killer portfolio to show everyone you got the right stuff.
Start a blog here on Medium to showcase your writing skills or create your own website on Wix or SquareSpace.
Create some how-to tutorials for online tools and software you use and love.
Write reviews of tech you use regularly on the job or in real life.
Show off your editing skills with Before and After examples.
Research and write some articles on different tech topics that interest you.
Showcase any awards or special training you’ve accomplished.
For the brave. Take on some freelance projects for friends pro bono and use them as examples of your work.
#3. Get some training.
Google has some excellent free technical writing courses that will help you get started. https://developers.google.com/tech-writing/announcement
#4. Do some research.
Search for Technical Writing and Editing jobs on Indeed.com or other online job sites to see what’s out there and what experience they require.
Check out the Society for Technical Communications (STC) website.
Search for Technical Writing books on Amazon. There’s a lot there. Read the samples and the reviews to find the one that’s best for you.
#5. Special Credit.
Technical Writing is not just written documents any more. Nowadays employers are looking for people who can create long form and short form video tutorials, create online training and courses, and even podcasts.
So now the decision is with you.
Do you want to open that door to becoming a Technical Writer?
Do you think you’ve got what it takes?
Are you ready to break into a new field and put in the work to excel?
You’ll only know if you take a chance and go for it.
Becoming a Technical Writer is not rocket science. You can use your writing skills to translate technical topics into clear, easy to read language that anyone can understand.
Got questions? Let me know in the comments and I’ll answer them :)
© Linda Locke
Linda Locke is a writer, mentor/teacher and Publisher/Lead Editor for the Midform Publication and the author of Medium Momentum, Launch Your Blogging Journey in Just 7 Days.
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