Technical Writer Career Training Guide

Question: What are the career prospects of a technical writer in India? I've heard that most of the companies hiring technical writers in India pay poorly and there is no such thing as career growth once you become a technical writer? Can anyone clarify?

Answer: wow who told you companies pay less to technical writers . There is really great scope .

Question: What education do you need to become a technical writer and 3 universities you can learn to become one? I need to do this for a school project and I am looking for some things to write about. What personal skills do you think is good for a technical writer? I need to write a 3 page report and pointers would be good. Thanks.

Answer: Technical writers need to be able to do independent research and write reports in a clear and coherent manner.

Question: Could I become a technical writer with a major in physics and a minor in English? Or I might do a double major with both. In what does a technical writer typically major?

Answer: English as a major is about analyzing other people's writing (literature) and not so much about writing. That's probably not what you want but is better than none. Journalism is another that's better than none but not exactly what you're looking for. Communication is the department most tech writers study in and is often where the tech writing major or minor is found. Ideally, you'd want a minor or certificate in technical writing and a major in whatever it is you write about. A major in comms or tech writing alone only qualifies you to "write about writing" or "talk about talking" so a specialized major or minor is essential in the field. Many position announcements specify a major in the specialized field with experience/coursework in tech writing. Take that physics to a master's degree with excellent tech writing skill and you're golden in the job market. Hard science writers are hard to come by out there - it's a pretty good field even in a down economy. The real secret to getting a job though is having some work samples to show. Nobody hires a tech writer (no matter what degrees he has) without seeing some writing samples. An additional skill that really helps land jobs is illustration. If you have the interest/talent then look over in the art department for a few courses in technical illustration as well. It makes a huge difference in marketability. Language fluency is also a huge plus, especially Japanese, Chinese, or Korean but also Spanish, French, and German to a lesser degree. The ability to repair bad translations from Chinese is particularly in demand right now. Understand that a huge percentage of tech writing jobs are contract, freelance, or short-term. Not as many folks have a full-time with a single employer. It can pay very well if you're good at it though. The piece-work nature of the business makes it very easy to weed out the low performers, if you don't do good work you don't get invited to do more. On the plus side - you can usually do your work from anywhere in the world, anytime day or night, as long as you meet your deadlines. This field is part art and part science. The art part means that if you're not good at then you don't work. It's an important consideration.

Question: How would earning a bachelor's degree in psychology suit me for a job as a technical writer? this is just something that i read in a psychology book, that people with a bachelor's in psych can get jobs as a technical writer.. my question is how so? would there be certain classes that id have to lean towards to help me acquire the necessary skills?

Answer: I believe that people with talent get writing jobs regardless of any degree... ..

Question: How much money does a technical writer make? I have found that I am really good at easily explaining complex topics in layman's terms to people who have never heard of the topic before. I think I would be good as a technical writer. How much do/can they make? Do they only do freelance, or actually work for one company? What companies hire technical writers?

Answer: Peanuts, usually. It's been said that if you're getting paid to write then you're ahead of the game. That said, clients need technical writers, and they often get paid 30-40K a year. Super powered ones can get much more, but that's far and few in between. Really, those are marketing people commanding those salaries, I believe.

Question: How does a new freelance technical writer find employment? I've heard that new freelance technical writers start off by writing for magazines. Is this correct? If so what else do you know about this? What do you know about other ways to start off? They're not published, but I have written a couple of documents having somewhat of a technical style. I do not know if they're of high enough quality to do so. I may try Associated Content.

Answer: Well, which pizza restaurant would you like to deliver pizzas for? Newsflash. Nobody is looking to pay a writer who hasn't written anything.

Question: Which University having the best online Technical Writer Course? I am interested to become the technical writer but i am interested in only the distance learning module. Looking for the best university in the world.

Answer: As I know, this site has top listing of such college courses online - edu.2kool4u.net

Question: What are the prospects for a would-be technical writer? I am a sophomore in college, and am considering majoring in Communications Studies. As this is what many established technical writers have as their background, I think this is a good choice to support a possible decision for technical writing to be my career. However, what companies employ in this area? I live in a fairly small town. Is telecommuting a possibility? Also, how does one enter the field fresh out of college? Thanks in advance.

Answer: Ok - I may not be your favorite answerer, but my honest opinion: A communications background is helpful to have, but my own advice would be to do an academic degree with a minor in Communications. Communications programs provide you with vocational training but that can be limiting, especially since technology changes. And you won't get the quality of education that a good humanities program will give you. I did an English Lit degree, no Comms whatsoever, and I've worked in Comms for years. I presently work as a tech writer for a multi-national technology firm. (If you like science, you could do one of those majors too. If you want to write for the pharma companies, it's essential.) Back to why I think an academic route is best: the people who went to school at the same time I did who got Comms degrees did not learn a thing about the methods (programs, media) most communications experts are using today. But Shakespeare is forever! :) Enjoy school and get good grades. You'll learn much of what you need to know about the media and methods from the work itself. On finding work and telecommuting - yes, you can. There are lots of opportunities for working remotely. The issue - frequently - is getting your career started. Start early, as a communications assistant and beg for assignments. You may need to take a job in a nearby city for awhile until you can build your skills and portfolio. Be open to freelance and get clips up on the internet. Even if you are only writing about your favorite TV shows, put a blog together. There are tons of little jobs on Craigslist that can help you build your resume. Also, if you have to take a job straight out of college to support yourself - as I did - try to get the boss to give you writing assignments even if it is not part of the job description. I worked as an assistant (non-comms job) for a large company that was in the midst of rewriting their SOPs (standard operating procedures.) My boss, who started as a salesperson somehow got that assignment. (I seriously don't know how - he didn't know the difference between "there," "they're" and "their" - LOL.) I offered to do them for him and he was relieved. I learned everything I could about the format (just by searching the internet) and went at it. The next year, I did the updates. The next year, I was doing SOPs for that company and a few others on a freelance basis. One last thing: the best thing about getting a non-Comms degree is that you can change careers easily if you ever want to. There is a very high burnout rate for tech writing. It's demanding work and I think it would be very hard to do for an entire career. (I am presently looking to transition into another career entirely.) I hope some of this helps - good luck!

Question: How to become a Technical Writer? I'm interested in studying Technical Writing as a possible career, my current university offers a course in college, but no field. I wanted to focus on creating instruction manuals for a living, nothing too deep that involve the sciences or math, since I'm terrible in those subjects. I just wanted to ask how does one exactly become a Technical Writer?

Answer: If you are "terrible" in math and science you may want to choose another career. Engineering is probably the best background for a technical writer as it is involved with the application of scientific concepts to practical problems.

Question: How do I become a technical writer without experience? I have a bachelor's degree in Political Science. So even though it's a B.A. ,it's B.S. I've bought a couple of books on technical writing, and I'd like some input from some folks out there who perhaps are or have been t.w.- especially those who went into it who didn't have a degree that's listed on the help wanted ads-such as , well political science. How's that for a run on sentence?

Answer: It's who you know and who you blow.

Question: Is it good to be a company's technical content writer? Hello friends I recently got a job in one company as technical content writer. But I am raring to go because, I don't know about the progress and promotions which i can get in this line. What are the promotions or positions i can get if i work as technical content writer in a company?

Answer: its good for a first job and yes there is a lot of scope for progress and promotions depending on what the company offers in technology. And im assuming you have a technical background, if not then maybe this job is alright only for a short while....

Question: I want to become a technical writer. What should I do? I think I would be a good technical writer, but I don't know what area to specialize in to show that I have good experience. I am thinking of majoring in Professional Communications next year. I don't have much knowledge on science or technology at the moment, nor am I good at those subjects, but I'm sure I could learn enough to explain the topic.

Answer: You can be a Technical Writer for any subject. Pick the topic that "Turns You On" so you can get excited about it. Don't be turned off if you loose faith or interest in the topic later... you can always pick up more on a new topic. Learning is fun... helping others learn is even more fun. Good Luck!

Question: As a technical writer I want to brush up my proofreading skills? Please suggest resources on line that will help me brush up my proofreading skills. I am looking out for online tests that will give me feedback.

Answer: I'm not aware of any online tests, but here are a few tips I've found helpful in copy-editing: 1. Read out loud. 2. Read from both the computer and a hard copy if possible. 3. Use a software program that will "read" to you. Adobe Acrobat has a built-in voice option (look at the bottom of the "View" tab). 4. On your hard copy, use a highlighter to put a dot under each word as you read it. This will prevent your eyes from reading words that aren't there. -K.M. Weiland Historical & Speculative Novelist http://wordplay-kmweiland.blogspot.com

Question: what do i need to do in order to become a technical writer? what major would i need to pursue and what's an average salary for a tech writer?

Answer: Pursue an engineering major. The salary range is very broad, but a ballpark figure would be between $50,000 and $100,000.

Question: What are the requirements of becoming a technical writer? What's the challenging part about pursuing this is as an occupation?

Answer: technical writing is just writing articles about the latest cell phones or ipods or laptops or car applications, etc. anything to do with technology. you describe them and say the pro's and con's and then say your opinion of how you would rate the product, if its worth the money, if you think it is something that will change how society works, how it will hold up ten years from now, etc etc. it is a good field to get into with new iphones coming out every year. we're gonna have robots in a few years, i KNOW it! lol anyways.... the challenge would be trying to explain all those gadgets and gizmo's to everyone else (like myself) when we dont understand all the scientific lingo that is usually used to describe it. its not about dumbing it down, it takes allot of talent to simplify, clarify, AND make it interesting. for example: it is probably easy to describe how 3D televisions work to someone who already knows how a normal television works. but then try to explain 3D TV to everyone else in a way that they will understand it, and you can't just assume they will know what an "Anode Conductor" or whatever is. That is reallllyyyy hardddd to do. so you would basically need mad skills. the problem is just that allot of computer geeks who would be passionate about technical writing are unfortunately TERRIBLE WRITERS. and they dont know it because they dont take the time to take advanced writing classes and then intern at local newspapers. so we've got highly intelligent computer nerds writing technical articles at a 2nd and third grade level, which is not only horrible and uninteresting, but is frankly just embarrassing to read. on the flip side, most advanced writers don't even know how a lightbulb works, let alone how any of their fancy new ipads work. so if you are an amazing writer and you are passionate about technology, then dooo it :)

Question: How much could I expect to be paid as a Technical Writer in Shanghai, China? I responded to an ad and was contacted by a major american company that also operates out of Shanghai. I've been through one interview and there are two left. I've been doing this type of job for about 9 years. What should I expect in terms of pay? I have no idea what to ask for or how to find out. I've never been to Shanghai. Thanks for any help.

Answer: i think your income will be calculated in USDA, maybe 3000 USD per month,like 15,000 CNY-20,000 CNY ,that's prety too much for a local chinese worker at shanghai. normal average income in shanghai is about 2,000-3,000 CNY. u will stay well with this money. 3,000-4,000CNY for one independent house rent and 3000CNY for daily use. shanghai is a good place for shopping and entertainment , a lot of big nightclubs here.shanghai is also a place for foreigner in china, people gathered for business chances. We are a studio located around shanghai city, we can offer a shanghai city guide service and living in shanghai guideline. we can also help people to buy from china online auction site:www.taobao.com. if anyone need help, pls contact:raymondpy35@hotmail.com be sure for quick reply.

Question: Do you need a degree to become a technical writer? If so, what do you need to major in? What is the first thing you should do to get started in this career? Is it a fun job?

Answer: Many technical writers do not have a degree at all. It can come in handy but is not essential. Do note that technical writing is a support job that does not pay super well.

Question: Which course should i pursue to become a full-time technical writer in the corporate sector? Are local community colleges good for this?

Answer: English Only attend a community college if your grades are not high enough to attend a 4 year university.

Question: W/ adult ADD how can I work for myself using my experience as a technical writer and urban/mitigation planner? I've struggled my whole life with lateness and disorganization. I am often in trouble with employers & I'm often in fear of losing my job. I RARELY have any complaints about the quality of my work, but at some point for my bosses, my problems obscure all the good work I do. It seems that my lateness is ALL employers end up focusing on. Luckily I've been able to escape before losing any job, but unfortunately, I've had to leave some jobs that I LOVED. I'm sick of it. Lately, I have a harder and harder time climbing my way out of periods of depression after repeated failures. I am beginning to think that in order to avoid disappointing employers, I should work for myself, perhaps freelance. With 8 yrs of experience in disaster prevention planning & urban planning, including research & writing, I have the ability. However, time management, organization, motivation (read, laziness) is a HUGE problem for those of us w/ ADD. Any advice on how I could work for myself & avoid ADD pitfalls?

Answer: Having done freelance writing myself, I don't think it's a good road to go down. I had a very hard time staying focused on tasks and beating deadlines and I don't have ADD. To freelance, you need to be super-organized; keep books in order, report income to the IRS, keep logs of time spent on the computer, pursue jobs... the list goes on. A thought-- why not get a job on your feet and freelance on the side? ADD isn't really an issue if you're working in a fast paced job. You could get a job at Starbucks, for instance, work enough hours to get health benefits, and freelance in your time off. Or hire someone to handle the business aspect while you handle the writing. If you have your heart set on freelancing, start with elance.com, creativemoonlighter.com, and sologig.com.

Question: Do you have to have a technical background to train as a technical writer? (like computer programming etc.) ? A technical writing course can be completed in a few months, and the pay for work is pretty good. It seems a bit too good to be true. Am I missing something?

Answer: If you are good in language and you are familiar with the technical field you will be writing about, that’s all you need. On the other hand, if you have no technical experience or formal technical training on the subject matter, you might either get it or forget it. I do technical writing on the side but I have an engineering degree and thirty years of professional experience to back me up. Hope this helps

Question: Is It Possible To Be a Technical Writer If All You've Ever Done is Feature Writing? Yes -- they're two different worlds, but I'm wondering if I can tweak my resume so that I might also be able to qualify for a technical writing position. Again, my experience is mostly with news writing, but I need to explore other avenues of writing. I'm good at syntax and grammar (or, at least I'd like to believe that I am).

Answer: Technical writing is a whole different field than features. Just like with features, where if you're reporting on fashion, you'd need to have some background or insight into the fashion world, so also, in technical writing you'd need to know a bit about the subject at hand. You wouldn't for example, be able to jump in and write an article about the latest software architecture techniques simply because you'd have no idea where to start - you would do your research, of course, but without really knowing the topic, I suspect the resulting article would sound stilted and uninformed. In technical writing, too, there are different types. There are those who write articles on databases, some write about the whole booming internet world, there's e-commerce, there are the huge software companies and infrastructure companies that underly the whole tech industry. There's writing of user manuals and how-to guides. There are reviews of new products. What would you concentrate on? If you really do want to get into technical writing, talk to a couple of tech writers - find out how they got started. Were there courses they took? Did they have to specialize? The usual kinds of stuff - you're used to this. Read some trade publications (there are hundreds of them online - infoworld is a good starting point if you're looking to just read other people's contributions to get started). Bottom line, you may certainly be able to tweak your resume to suit the technical writing field, but breaking in without an appropriate background may not be easy. No harm trying, though! I'm pretty sure the basic writing and writing-to-a-deadline skills are pretty transferable! :) Sadly, it looks like no technical writers were reading your question (I'm a software architect myself, so I've worked _with_ tech writers, although I'm not one myself). Good luck, FF

Question: What is the average salary of a technical writer in Mexico?

Answer: 5 tacos a week

Question: What's the career of a technical writer like? What background should one have to become one? Money potential? Self-employment potential? I love IT and I love writing. Any info/websites on the career would help.

Answer: I have been a senior technical writer. A good tech writer takes diverse experience and skills. A tech writer just needs to know how to write and structure a document in Framemaker. There are more bad tech writers than good ones out there. Trust me! A tech writer writes repair manuals, user guides, reference manuals, technical communications, knowledgebase articles and consumer documentation. Deliverables can be for internal and external customers. These are the skills that you need. 1) Knows how to write technical topics in layman terms. 2) Explain complex processes in simple and concise terms. 3) Know the difference between writing software, hardware and processes. 4) Know how to use Framemaker 5) Know the difference between writing online documentation, printed documentation and consumer content. Starting salary is around $40,000 and can go up to $90,000. There is good money, but can get boring after awhile. I have known people who have been tech writers for 20+ years. For me, I got bored after 2 years and had to start using my skills for instructional design. Yes, you can contract out, but of course, salary with benefits is better, in my opinion. Here are two books to start you off with: The Chicago Manual of Style Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications Good luck!

Question: What career is more likely to be hired (like a nurse), technical writer, PR specialist, or paralegal? Anywhere in Texas.

Answer: There is a shortage of nurses in the United States. The other areas don't have shortages.

Question: How do I hire a technical writer in India to produce content for my website? Need to know pay scale, how to pay, candidate search methods, qualification, etc.

Answer: you can contact http://www.click4operator.com for a quote.

Question: What is the best way to get experience as a technical writer?

Answer: Write out step to step procedures about just about anything. Let someone you trust critique them.

Question: Becoming a Technical Writer: What degree/Certificate? I'm considering Technical Writing as a career, so I would like to gain an understanding of the best way to break into the field. My plan at the moment is to get a Bachelors Degree in English, then get a Computer systems certificate. What's your opinion on this route, and what would you suggest?

Answer: For general career info: http://www.bls.gov/oco and can search 'technical writers' or such.

Question: What is the career growth for a technical writer?

Answer: It is good, as professionals are not keen to develop the habit of writing. You can go as high as you wish, but it is better to remain as a professional and do work independently after you reach a level of competence. In a corporate world, especially in IT industry, this is considered as a support function and people are not elevated as required. There are a few associations for Technical writers, Indian association was initiated by Mr. Guru Kamath some ten years back. You can get in touch with him.

Question: I want to be a technical writer. What should I do? I think I would be a good technical writer, but I don't know what area to specialize in to show that I have good experience. I am thinking of majoring in Professional Communications next year. I don't have much knowledge on science or technology at the moment, nor am I good at those subjects, but I'm sure I could learn enough to ex *explain the topic.

Answer: Hmm, what makes you think you'd be a good technical writer? Are you a strong (meaning you get compliments and/or good grades) writer? Are you looking for a career that uses your writing skills and are looking for a place to do that? Are you a good expalin-the-process or persuade someone about something kind of writer? You state that you don't have much knowledge in science or technology, so what do you expect to write about? Maybe a better question is: what do you have a passion or strong interest for? That's the kind of topic that would be good for you to write about.Take those strong writing skills (persuasive or process) and apply them to something that really interests you. In that case you might find yourself writing for a research or green energy or disease education group. It might not be called technical writing, perhaps something like communications. If you're thinking of technical writing because it's a marketable skill, then you need to develop knowledge or skills in an area to write about. That's where your passion comes in. Write about what you care about. Give it some thought.

Question: Can any one tell me, what course a technical writer (B.Sc) should opt for higher studies like masters? Hi, I am a technical writer. My last degree was B.Sc Chemistry. I want to pursue a masters now. Which course/degree should I opt for, which helps me in continue and grow with this current career of mine. Please help.

Answer: Try Rhetoric & Composition. As less people have the ability to write well, this field is becoming more in demand.

Question: What is the average hourly rate a technical writer with 1-3 years experience can earn in a contract job?

Answer: I'm not sure what you'd make on a contract job, but the Buerau of Labor puts out the following information: Median annual earnings for salaried technical writers were $53,490 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $41,440 and $68,980. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $32,490, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $86,780. Median annual earnings in computer systems design and related services were $54,710. According to the Society for Technical Communication, the median annual salary for entry level technical writers was $42,500 in 2004. The median annual salary for midlevel nonsupervisory technical writers was $51,500, and for senior nonsupervisory technical writers, $66,000. Hope you find it helpful http://www.write-a-free-resume.com

Question: How much money might an entry-level technical writer make?

Answer: An entry-level technical writer makes about $43,000/yr. I am at the entry-level and was considered for a $93,000/yr position. However, I have a scientific background. To disagree with Pandak, it does take a certain amount of intelligence to be a technical writer...not everyone can communicate well. Medical writers can make $100.000+. I have seen medical director positions for $300,000+. Good luck! E-mail me if you need any other advice.

Question: How does one become a technical writer?

Answer: You can call your local jr. college or university and ask if they have a technical writing program. If they do, make an appt. with a school counselor to draw up a plan. They can also help you with ideas to help cover your tuition. Good luck.

Question: Is a career as a Technical writer in demand? I am considering pursuing this field. Thanks.

Answer: The US Dept of Labor says "yes": Opportunities should be best for technical writers and those with training in a specialized field. Demand for technical writers and writers with expertise in areas such as law, medicine, or economics is expected to increase because of the continuing expansion of scientific and technical information and the need to communicate it to others. Legal, scientific, and technological developments and discoveries generate demand for people to interpret technical information for a more general audience. Rapid growth and change in the high-technology and electronics industries result in a greater need for people to write users’ guides, instruction manuals, and training materials. This work requires people who not only are technically skilled as writers, but also are familiar with the subject area. And the pay is good: Median annual earnings for salaried technical writers were $53,490 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $41,440 and $68,980. According to the Society for Technical Communication, the median annual salary for entry level technical writers was $42,500 in 2004. The median annual salary for midlevel nonsupervisory technical writers was $51,500, and for senior nonsupervisory technical writers, $66,000. Good luck!

Question: Do you know of a company that wants to hire a technical writer?

Answer: Yes.