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Technical Writing: How toBreak Into this LucrativeWorldApril 1, 2014 By Kimmoy Matthews 28 Comments

If you have aknack forexplaining themost complexsubjects to totalnewbies, then youshould considerthe world oftechnical writing.

Technical writing is all about simplifying complex topics andteaching users how to accomplish a specific task or goal.For example, a technical writer wrote the manual onoperating your remote control, as well as the “Help” guidefor your favorite writing program.

Could you be a technical writer?

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What makes a good technical writer? You should be ableto take any Average Joe and give them step­by­stepinstructions to successfully complete a project. As youmay have experienced with Ikea furniture manuals, it’s notas easy as it sounds!

Technical writing is a unique writing career in that youdon’t have to be an expert in the subject matter; your enduser is typically a newbie, so the level of instruction anddetail you are providing is introductory. However, in thecourse of your work, you’ll learn about new softwareapplications, the latest technology products and the innerworkings of systems and businesses — and this knowledgeis transferable to other industries and projects.

Benefits of technical writing workWhile most gigs are full­time corporate projects, there arealso opportunities available on a contract basis, whichallows you to earn a steady income for a short­term period.Since many freelancers experience inconsistency in wheretheir next paycheck is coming from, there is a level ofcomfort in knowing that you will have consistent income fora few months.

Unlike one­off blog posts or articles, the contractscan range from six months to a couple of years inlength. This commitment is necessary to develop anunderstanding of the product and then to create a full suiteof essential documents such as policies, procedures,product manuals and technical requirements.

One caveat: most corporate gigs require you to be onsite,so you may have to give up working from home. However,a technical writing contract is a great opportunity to earn asteady income for a set amount of time and if you do agreat job, you could possibly extend your contract. Whenit’s over, you can always return to your more flexible

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freelance lifestyle.

Demand for technical writers is growingTechnology continues to change, and as each new softwareor application launches, the need to help users understandand consume these products grows. Each new software­as­a­service product or wearable watch needs user guides andmanuals. From startups in the growing phase to largecorporations looking to streamline their operationalprocesses, companies require written policies andprocedures.

Technical communications is a growing field and technicalwriters are in high demand, especially in the IT industry.There is work out there — I field weekly requests fromcompanies keen to hire — and it pays well. You can earnanywhere from $40 per hour or more, dependingwhere you live (especially in tech­savvy cities like D.C. andSeattle) and on your level of expertise.

What training do you need?If you’ve never written technical communications before,you should consider taking a course on technical writingand even earning your certification. If you’re just startingout, certification can help you gain credibility and overcomea limited background in this type of work. The Society forTechnical Communication offers online training, or yourlocal community college may be a good option for courses.

When I was starting out, I took a course through my localadult education program to get certified in technicalwriting. I was transitioning from an engineeringbackground and wanted to add some credibility to mywriting skills — which engineers aren’t usually known tohave.

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You can also work on building your portfolio by simplywriting your own instructions for a software app that youlike. For example, Tim Murphy created The Mint Manual forMint.com and was able to launch a very lucrative career.

Connect with IT and software companiesMost technical writing opportunities are within the ITindustry, but you can find work anywhere from healthcareto the financial industry. New companies are great if youwould like learn and write more about applicationprogramming interface (API) or expand on existingdocumentation, like Tim Murphy did.

Keep in mind that most startups may not have the budgetto hire technical writers right off the bat; consider seekingopportunities from companies that have already beenfunded. That being said, I only recommend reaching out tononprofit organizations and new startups if you’re willing tovolunteer your services so that you can build a portfolioand eventually land paid opportunities. Whether you’refreelancing as a blogger or technical writer, you haveto be selective about who has the ability to pay foryour services.

Have you tried technical writing? Is it a field you’rekeen to explore?

About the Author: Kimmoy MatthewsKimmoy is an electrical engineer turned technicalwriter with over eight years of professionalexperience. She was born and raised in St. Thomas

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and now resides in the DCmetropolitan area.... Read fullbio.

Tech Copy Expert | @KimmoyM

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Comments

Katherine James says:April 1, 2014 at 12:58 pm

I’ve done some technical writing and I haveenjoyed it quite a bit.

However, I have found that it is an area offreelance writing that strongly adheres to the oldadage ‘write what you know’. Especially as thetutorials you produce are written for a specific levelof technical reader (rather than for a wideraudience).

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Reply

Kimmoy says:April 1, 2014 at 1:39 pm

Hi Katherine,

In technical writing, I would say you must beable to communicate and structure the topic ina way for others to learn. Not “knowing” canwork to your advantage in many cases becausethe content you write is usually for someonewho doesn’t know and needs to learn.

Reply

julie says:April 1, 2014 at 10:28 pm

I hadn’t consider Technical writing before, but afterreading your post by new thought is; ‘why not?’ sothank you for another very workable idea.

Reply

Kimmoy says:April 1, 2014 at 11:25 pm

You’re welcome Julie. If you have anyquestions then let me know.

Reply

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John Cosstick says:April 2, 2014 at 2:31 am

Hi Kimmoy. Thanks for this article. It is importantfor writers with a technical background to knowhow to use their knowledge to get a start infreelance writing.

It can save a lot of time and misplaced effort fromsomeone starting out.

Best wishes

John Cosstick

Reply

Kimmoy says:April 2, 2014 at 8:53 am

I agree John. Usually a person has either astrong technical background or strong writingskills. The two combined definitely has itsbenefits in the technical writing field.

Reply

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Raspal Seni says:April 10, 2014 at 10:56 am

Hi Kimmoy,

I hardly ever read posts at TWL, though I’msubscribed to posts (due to time and reading otherblogs), but this heading surely made my eyes popout!

I’ve been a technical writer, working for clients onoDesk (for pennies), but last year, started atechnical blog (which I almost gave up). Then,started a blog about blogging plus a writer website,which I still post on. Was thinking to sell the techblog as I don’t get time to post there.

I do love technical writing, but wish to remain afreelancer, working from home. I see a lot oftechnical writing jobs on LinkedIn, but almost all ofthem are the usual 9­5 jobs, as you say.

I’m doing some e­books on technical writing, likeTim Murphy above. I already have a big technicalwriting portfolio on my blog, though I don’t haveany such certification. Does that matter? I havegood feedback/testimonial from clients.

Like you, I come from a technical background too –Electronics and Computer Hardware/Networking.So, I do love technical writing. What would youadvise me?

Reply

Kimmoy says:April 10, 2014 at 11:19 am

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Hi Raspal,

Thanks for taking the time to comment! If youdo not want to work on­site, then it’s a matterof how you present yourself to clients andletting them know your terms. It’s a more pro­active approach than say bidding on whateverodesk jobs come your way. A certificationdefinitely helps and is worth the investment,but if you position yourself the right way, youcould possibly get by without it.

Working on­site for a few months isn’t all thatbad especially if you love the work, but if youreally want to monetize your blog with e­books, go for it and implement what you learnhere on The Write Life until you succeed

Hope that helps!

Reply

Tisha M. says:May 28, 2014 at 5:40 pm

Thank you for this article. I’m very interested intechnical writing, but with a huge online demandand lots of skill, it is a daunting task. I’ve written aprinter manual already, but thanks for the tip tokeep writing manuals for things I enjoy!

Reply

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Anita says:June 3, 2014 at 10:42 pm

I am very interested in learning how to get startedin technical writing. I’ve been a trainer teachingwork skills to help people be more employable forthe past six years. I love to research and write,and since I’m open to new opportunities now, Ithink this would be a great start to a new career.What suggestions could you give me?

Reply

Kimmoy says:June 11, 2014 at 2:06 pm

Hi Anita,

Start revamping your resume so that is focusesmore on your writing skills. You can send mean email through my website and I will giveyou a great recommendation. Also, startputting together a portfolio of writing samples.Hope that helps. Best of luck!

Reply

Laura says:February 10, 2015 at 2:45 pm

I am a licensed attorney and former real estateagent. I want to get out of law into the writingfield. A friend mentioned technical writing as a

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possibility. I worked on a contract at ThomsonReuters writing real estate practice notes for a newproduct. Would this at all be considered technicalwriting? Is everything IT technically related, or canit be subject matter specific, not necessarilytechnical?

Reply

Kimmoy says:February 18, 2015 at 4:33 pm

Hi Laura,

Technical writing spans almost all fields:medical, IT, Engineering, Finance, etc. It’sreally having the skill to translate complextopics and making them comprehensive for theappropriate audience.

I’m guessing practice notes are similar topolicies/procedures so yes that would be aform of technical writing.

Your background could certainly help youlaunch a successful career in technical writing.I say go for it! Good luck!

Reply

Pat says:February 20, 2015 at 10:59 am

Thanks Kimmoy. I’m going to check out the online

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courses. Good info.!

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JP says:March 23, 2015 at 10:40 pm

Hi Kimmoy,

Thanks for the article! I am looking to start out onthe technical writer’s career path, but I have lessthan a year of technical experience. My companymay have a position available soon. So I’d reallylike to do what I can to be competitive.

I have a degree and a lot of experience withwriting, language science, and documentcomposition. Unfortunately, my technicalexperience just isn’t there. What would yousuggest I do to become a competitive candidateand, ultimately, a successful technical writer?

Reply

Kimmoy says:March 31, 2015 at 8:32 pm

Do you have a portfolio? Do you have solidknowledge about the subjects orapplications/systems the technical writer isexpected to work on? You can also use the factthat you don’t have as big of a learning curvecompared to someone that is new to thecompany. It’s a matter of marketing yourselfand your skills. Good luck!

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Kimmoy

Reply

MC says:March 28, 2015 at 4:27 pm

Kimmoy,

Thanks for the article! And thanks in advance if youget the chance to get back to me. I recentlygraduated with a Bachelors in History and a Minorin Business. I chose to major in History because ofthe breadth of subjects that it would allow me tostudy (economics, socioeconomics, politics, etc…).I’ve always been a very strong writer, and I alsoenjoy learning about a variety of technical subjects.So after recently learning about the technicalwriting field I was naturally excited.

However, it seems that most companies prefersomeone with a science, math, engineering, or ITbackground as opposed to someone with a writingbackground. Is this usually the case? If so arethere any masters programs that are particularlyappealing to employers in the current market?

Reply

Kimmoy says:March 31, 2015 at 8:29 pm

Thanks for reading and commenting MC. Thereare plenty of opportunities in STEM fields. A

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strong writing background is very desirable,what you need to focus on in a subject thatyou’re interested in or experienced in. If youhave been writing about economics forexample, then you can seek technical writingopportunities in the finance markets. I wouldrecommend you get some professionalexperience first before getting an advanceddegree to be sure this is the career path youwant to take. Good luck!

Kimmoy

Reply

John Garison says:March 31, 2015 at 4:25 pm

Hi Kimmoy,

As a tech writer with over 40 years experience, Ihave to take exception with your statement“Technical writing is a unique writing career in thatyou don’t have to be an expert in the subjectmatter; your end user is typically a newbie, so thelevel of instruction and detail you are providing isintroductory.”

While there may be some opportunities out therelike this, they are few and far between. In myexperience documenting software applications, youhave to be extremely knowledgeable about theentire system you are writing about, more so thatalmost anyone else on the team that’s developingit. And often your audience is extremely technicalin that subject area as well, and if your

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documentation is too simplistic, it will be a liabilityto your product instead of an asset.

Reply

Kimmoy says:March 31, 2015 at 8:23 pm

Hi John,

Thanks for reading and sharing your comment.I still stand by what I wrote as it has been myentire professional experience and the samefor many others, not as rare as you may think.For example, I did not know anything or haveany experience working in the regulatoryfinance industry, but I was able to develop thatknwoledge on the job. I had to learn thesoftware application from a very technicalperspective to write specifications and from auser perspective to write a manual. The skillreally lies in being able to learn a complexsubject quickly (from SMEs and getting hands­on) and translate it to the appropriateaudience. Hopefully that clears up what Imeant.

Reply

Annette says:April 6, 2015 at 8:53 pm

Hi Kimmoy:

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Ran across this website while researching how toget into technical writing. I have written Proposalsand RFPs in my degree programs (BS­Telecommunications Management and MBA inManagement) and some assisting in writinggraduate level papers but no employment in thefield. How do I enter the technical writing field. Ihave worked in the technical field for over 15years, with two years as a technical trainer.

Reply

Jessica says:May 4, 2015 at 10:43 pm

Hi Kimmoy!I am a restaurant manager for a popular Americanfranchise and 2005 PSU grad, having majored inEnglish. Unfortunately I was never able to breakinto the field of writing. Call it low self esteem, callit insecurity, call it what you will but I find myself10 years post graduation in a job I no longer enjoy.A friend recently suggested I apply for technicalwriting jobs and the more I delve into it, the moreexcited I become at the possibility of moving into afield in which I am actually proficient.I came across your page while searching how tobreak into technical writing, and I have to say I’mexcited again! I would like to take a certificationcourse however I fear I could not afford the timeoff from my current job, enough that I couldsupport myself. Are there online certificationclasses I might take? Do you have any advicefurther for someone in my position? And whatwould you suggest around the Baltimore area asfar as classes or even jobs go?Thank you for your time and your awesome article!

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Jessica

Reply

Jax says:June 15, 2015 at 12:25 pm

This is a rather old thread but I figure it can’t hurtto ask for some advice!I’m a senior editing, writing, and media major (it’slike journalism but with none of the fieldwork) andI’m extremely interested in technical writing.I’m taking a professional training course ineducation to get my teaching certificate, which Ithink could be an advantage, but I have almost nocomputer experience and I don’t have credits leftbefore graduation. My only professional workexperience was an advertising internship, which Ihated because I’m the only person who hatescreative, casual writing! I’m also not good at it, soI wouldn’t want to put any of my copy in aportfolio. Would good copy editing work leave agood impression?I would consider myself a quick and eager learner(and I’m training to explain subjects to people whohave never encountered them before), but how canI get my foot in the door with no “technical”experience without digging a hole financially? I’malso pretty shy, but I don’t believe that would be aproblem in a field like technical writing. Correct meif I’m wrong. Please reply whenever it’s convenient,Jax

Reply

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Tim says:June 19, 2015 at 12:01 pm

Hi,

I recently earned my BA in English with a CreativeWriting emphasis, and I’m looking to break in totechnical writing. Do you think I will have moresuccess by focusing on earning a certification orsearching for a tech writing job with my currentlevel of skills and experience?

Reply

Ravdeep says:October 15, 2015 at 11:05 am

Hi Kimmoy

Thanks for sharing this article. I am a mother of a10 month old baby, who had to quit her job as aSoftware tester to take care of her son. And I amsimply living every moment of first timemotherhood. But I don’t wish to be a SAHM all mylife, I want to do something for myself along withtaking care of my baby guiltfree.

I cannot think of doing a full time job with longworking hours. I need a job where I have flexibilityand learning. I have done bachelors in ComputerScience, masters in MBA and had been workingwith IT industry for 4­5 years.

After reading yourarticle, I feel Technical Writing isan area which i could explore. Do you think I amgoing in the right direction! Also what I need to do

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to break in to Technical Writing?

Reply

Usha says:November 19, 2015 at 4:50 am

Hi Kimmoy,

I have over 2 years experience as ABAP Consultant,and 3 years experience as a freelance contentwriter. I want to move into technicalwriting.Whatgood books would you suggest to restart my careeras tech­writer.I also want to write some productbased writing…

Reply

Christopher Sansonetti says:April 30, 2016 at 10:35 am

Hi Kimmoy,Thanks for the great article! I would like totransition from tech writing in manufacturingindustry to the IT industry but companies will nottouch me!

I have been doing tech writing on and off for 15years (doing tech writing for my own martial artsbusiness and working as a tech writer formanufacturing companies). IT companies want 2­5years of software experience and I have zerosoftware experience.

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I have 2 questions:

1. How do I get get IT experience? Maybe on theweekends I can start creating small manuals likeTim Murphy.

Also, I would be happiest to do tech writing frommy home office (not driving one and half hoursback and fourth from NYC).

2. Where do I look or how do I get tech writingwork that I can do from home?

ThanksChris

Reply

Jenna maica yap says:June 4, 2016 at 1:01 pm

Hi kimmoy im a cpa by profession and work on thegeneral accounting for the past 4 years,. I becomeinterested in technical writing aince i want a homebased freelance work and i am interested inwriting. What advise can you give me to start mycareer in finance technical writing. I am looking forways to practice my skills and build my portforliosto start. Can you give me any suggestion orrecommendations? Thanks

Reply

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