Glen Said:

How to get into a career as a Technical Writer? What type of education do I need?

We Answered:

Your best course of action right now would be to set up a meeting with the professor that teaches the technical writing course. It may be that the course would give you enough to gain an entry level job, or it may be that it is only an introductory course and not designed with enough training to actually get you a job, but only lead to further training. The professor should be able to answer questions about the types of jobs available, the kind of experience generally needed to get a decent job, and what the market looks like for technical writers in the near future. Also, do some research online looking at technical writing job listings and find out what most employers are looking for as far as training/schooling and experience.

Dolores Said:

What career is more likely to be hired (like a nurse), technical writer, PR specialist, or paralegal?

We Answered:

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

Natalie Said:

Is a career as a Technical writer in demand?

We Answered:

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!

Albert Said:

What's the career of a technical writer like?

We Answered:

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!

Nora Said:

What is the career growth for a technical writer?

We Answered:

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.