#13565
Succeeding as a Technical Writer
I'll start with a list of rules that have served me in good stead over my entire career. Some are common sense, and others may sound a little extreme or radical to your ears. That's okay. They've worked for me.
Knowles, Michael. Write Thinking (2002). Careers>Writing
#30379
A Tale of Two Weeks: A Good Start on a New Job 
Many articles discuss how to hire a great writer, but relatively few tell us what to do when we get one. The first weeks on a new job set the tone for a writer's experience at a company. If both manager and writer pay attention to getting a good start, the result will be that the writer settles in, feels welcome and at ease, and becomes productive quickly.
Brown, Dennise C. STC Proceedings (1993). Careers>Writing>Technical Writing>Workplace
#31942
Tech Writer Salaries in the U.S.
It's hard to say how much money full time freelance technical writers make. But we do have some data on salaries made by full time technical writers working for a company.
Adar, Bryan S. Blogspot (2008). Careers>Writing>Salaries>Technical Writing
#22026
A college degree in English, journalism, fine arts, or even technical communication does not a technical writer make. That may not seem to ring true, but spending any time at all out there in the field will quickly demonstrate the veracity of the statement. A degree is probably of greatest benefit in gaining access for an interview, and, later, in negotiating salary or bill rate although other factors will be operative in this area too. In my experience, it seems some of the truly talented technical writers I've encountered come from the engineering and marketing fields, and there have been a few 're-engineered' programmers that made the transition too. The key rests in an ability to explain technical material and processes in a concise, descriptive way, using non-technical language and eliminating the jargon. I think it's important to have a special interest or skill in writing, enjoy the writing process. Being a good wordsmith and editor certainly helps too, as does a strong vocabulary.
#26616
Tech Writers in Startup Environments 
Responses from an inquiry about the type of writer most likely to do well in a start-up environment and what management needs to do to keep those people committed and dedicated for the long-term.
Kohn, Sheldon. TECHWR-L (2000). Careers>TC>Technical Writing
#24064
Advice and information on finding tech publishing jobs and contracts.
Tech Writing Jobs. Careers>Job Listings>Writing>Technical Writing
#26598
A Technical Communicator's Pro Bono Guide to Attorneys
While our job requirements and responsibilities are ever-changing, our allies remain the same. They include one crucial team member who will help you far more than you realize ∆ your attorney. If you don’t already have one, you may think that this is an additional expense that you cannot afford; after all, how often do you plan on being sued? However, good attorneys do more than represent you in court. Let’s take a look at what they can do for you.
Torres, Derek. TECHWR-L (2005). Careers>Writing>Legal
#23318
Technical Writer Career Information
Technical writers put scientific and technical information into easily understandable language. They prepare operating and maintenance manuals, catalogs, parts lists, assembly instructions, sales promotion materials and project proposals. Technical writers also plan and edit technical reports and oversee preparation of illustrations, photographs, diagrams and charts.
#23222
Technical Writer Career Information
What does a technical writer do? A technical writer prepares information that helps users.
Farbey, David. ISTC (2002). Careers>Writing>Technical Writing
#14739
Technical Writers and Patent Applications
Worth examines the role of technical writers in the patent application process.
Worth, Carol. Intercom (2002). Careers>Writing>Intellectual Property
#24070
Most contract technical writers work through agencies. If you know anything about relational databases, you'll understand why this is so: just as the way to solve the problems of 'many-to-many' relationships between two tables is to create a third table, routing the relationships through it so that they become manageable, so, too, with tech writers and customers.
#27108
Technical Writing at SolidWorks Corporation Is a Collaborative Effort
Collaboration is a key element of the documentation process at SolidWorks Corporation, and it contributes significantly to the high quality of the technical documents. 'We couldn't produce the volume of documents that we do in the time that we have without working closely together,' says Georgia, manager of the Technical Publications department. Five technical writers and eight translators collaborate with each other, with developers and testers, with a translation house, and with a print house. Together they produce a user's guide, a tutorial, multiple online help systems, and numerous smaller documents with each release of the software. Releases occur about twice a year. Because each release includes major new functionality, the documentation schedule is very tight. 'Taking into account that we have to wait for the engineers to complete their changes, and that we have to freeze the English version in time for the translators to translate before the release,' says Georgia, 'the schedule is even tighter than it appears at first.' Some of the techniques that make this situation workable are an integrated hardware and software system, careful distribution of responsibilities, explicit procedures and style guides, and file maintenance.
Kloss, Marilyn B. Boston Broadside (2001). Careers>Writing>Technical Writing>Case Studies
#18461
Technical Writing for Fun and Profit
The average engineering student would rather go to the dentist and have root canal than write a technical report or a memo. This is unfortunate, as a large part of a working engineer’s professional life is spent in writing technical communiqués of one sort or another. Although, the widespread aversion to writing has a variety of causes, I suspect that a large part of the problem is simply not understanding the process and elements of good technical writing. And this comes as no surprise, because many students’ exposure to writing comes in college freshman English, and these courses train the student to write a certain kind of critical essay that is largely useful in passing college freshman English. Remarkably few such courses expose the student to the kinds of business writing they will use for the rest of their lives.
Goldberg, David E. University of Illinois (1999). Careers>Writing>Engineering>Technical Writing
#18255
Technical Writing for the Freelancer
Discover if technical writing is right for you, and if it is, find out how to learn what you need to know.
#19728
Technical Writing in 1993 and 2003
Ten years ago, if someone had asked me about my profession, I would have spent a good 15 minutes explaining what I did for a living. Today, ‘Technical Writing’ is answer enough. This is one notable change in my life. In the last 10 years, I have witnessed many important changes in the field of technical writing. Here are a few.
Pandit, Makarand M. Indus (2003). Careers>TC>Writing>Technical Writing
#23329
Technical Writing in the Computer Industry: Job Opportunities for Ph.D.'s
This essay answers some of the more commonly asked questions about the field of technical writing. It explains what software and software documentation are, what the software documentation specialist (hereafter referred to as the technical writer) does, and how to go about preparing and looking for such employment. It also attempts to assuage the anxieties and calm the fears of those humanists who are upset by the mention of anything remotely associated with computers.
Turnbull, Andrew D. ADE Bulletin (1981). Careers>Documentation>Writing>Technical Writing
#29524
Technical Writing is a Great Career
Technical Writing is a great career with more than 5,000 practicing professionals in India.
SlideShare (2007). Careers>Writing>Technical Writing>India
#28421
A collection of up-to-date advertisements for technical writing positions in industry.
Writer's Resource Center. Careers>Job Listings>Writing>Technical Writing
#31162
Technical Writing: A Candidate for Outsourcing?
Nowadays, outsourcing seems to be a de facto approach in the IT industry. As a part of the software development process, it seems reasonable to consider technical writing as a candidate for outsourcing. Through this article, I propose to explore the pros, cons, risks, and opportunities for outsourcing your technical documentation.
Talbot, Fabrice. LiveTechDocs (2008). Careers>Management>Outsourcing>Technical Writing
#32035
Technical Writing: Look Before You Leap
To many aspiring novelists, poets and journalists, working as a technical writer seems like the perfect stepping stone to their dreams. After all, you'll be paid to put pen to paper--something every wannabe writer dreams of. So what if it isn't the Great American Novel? You'll still have time for your own writing in your off hours. Or will you? If you are thinking about transitioning from your current non-writing position to technical writing because it's a hot market, you like technology, and/or you want to round out your freelance portfolio, you're on the right track. But if your main reason for considering the technical arena is that you enjoy writing, then re-evaluate your decision.
Chroust Ehmann, Lain. TECHWR-L (2008). Careers>Writing>Technical Writing
#28373
Writing for technology companies has its own unique set of challenges. Here's how to work around some of them.
Calhoun, Harry. Intercom (2006). Careers>Writing>Marketing
#13994
The TECHWR-L website periodically polls users' opinions about the current state of the field. Review the recent findings.
#26304
Staffing services and placement agency for technical writers.
#26028
Ten Tips to Reaching Financial Success as a Freelance Writer
You're more than a writer, you're a business owner. You're a manager, a marketer, a negotiator, a technology guru and more.
Bachel, Bev and Jennifer Lawler. Writing World (1999). Careers>Freelance>Writing
#20153
That's Not In My Job Description!
Small companies ask writers to handle an incredible range of tasks, requiring writers to dynamically manage their work load. This paper reviews scheduling guidelines and tips for survival and success.
Smith, Elizabeth Walker. STC Proceedings (1997). Careers>Writing>Planning>Technical Writing
