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Feb24
An Opportunity for New Technical Writers
If you're new to the technical writing field, you're probably suffering from a classic Catch 22. You need experience to land a good job, and you need a job to get experience. Fortunately, thanks to the growing number of Web 2.0 beta applications, there's an ample supply of start-up companies that might love for you to write their documentation for them. Whether you can negotiate a fee for your work, or you do it for free, you'll still benefit in a number of ways:
  • You increase the size and diversity of your portfolio.
  • You learn about Ajax, Ruby on Rails, RSS and all sorts of other cutting edge technologies.
  • You increase your number of industry contacts
  • You pick up additional work through referral
  • You improve your experience using various publishing tools like FrameMaker and RoboHELP, among others.

And that's just off the top of my head. Really, the botom line is that it's a win-win situation for all involved. If you need ideas on which companies to approach, check out Robin Good's Sharewood Picnic each week. He finds 10 new media startups, some of which might be ideal for the aspiring technical writer to work on.

5 Comments/Trackbacks




Hi Jeff,

I am just starting out in this field. That bit of information is very useful and I greatly appreciate it. Is it possible for you to advise me on how to go about contacting these organizations. I would greatly appreciate your help in this regard.

Regards,

Hi,
I have completed my course in technical writing. Most of the companies are asking for technical writer with experience so what to do? please help me in this regard.

Thank you

Hi,
Am Anu a Mass Communiaction & Journalism Post Graduate (MCJ)worked as a Pubilc Relation Associate in Bangalore for 5 months, would like to turn my career in Technial Writing. So I quit the job & has joined in a Tech writing coaching centre

As Tech writing is entirly different from Public Relation,Is there any problem in Mentioning My experience in PR in my resume?

Is RoboHelp&Frame Maker sufficient for an effective Technical Writing?

I am in an urgent need of your suggestions for the good growth of my career.

Hope you hear me.
Thanks
Anu

The quickest way to become a technical writer is through a bodyshop, aka contracting agency.

Yes, technical writing is different. If you wrote other things, you might not be capable of being a technical writer. One course isn't enough either. But, you can try. The bodyshop client won't be tough on your writing ability.

But, after that first contract, get a real full-time, non-contract job, because a series of contract will not teach you how to maintain a document over many release cycles, so it will just get harder to get hired even if you rack up that same year of experience fifteen times.

Technical writing is a transitiional career. Don't expect to do it for a lifetime. Have another goal. Keep moving.

hi,
I am pankaj i am working in construction company as a part of safety officer so i need a good letter to put the accident reports and other documentation to forward the project manager. please give me a suggestion and another example.
thanking you
ur obidiently

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